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>
THE
LIFE AND ADVENTURES
OF
NATHANIEL PEARCE,
WRITTEN BY HIMSELF,
DURIVO
i A RESIDENCE IN ABYSSINIA,
FROM THE TEARSh 1810 TO 1819.
TOOBTHBR WITH
MR. COFFIN^S ACCOUNT OF HIS VISIT TO GONDAR.
EDITED BY
J. J. HALLS, ESQ.
IN TWO VOLUMES.
VOL. I.
LONDON:
HENRY COLBURN AND RICHARD BENTLEY,
NEW BDRLINGTON STREET.
LONDON :
F. BHOBERLf JUN., LONG ACRK.
TO THE
E\RL OF MOUNTNORRIS, F.R.S.,
ETC. ETC. ETC.
MY DEAR LORD,
I willingly avail myself of your kind permission to
dedicate the following pages to your Lordship. To
whom, indeed, could I with so much propriety address
them, as to the noble individual who has, during a
period of nearly thirty years, been pleased to honour
me with the most unequivocal marks of his friendship
and esteem, and to whose kindness and liberality I am
indebted for the copyright of the work ?
It was under the immediate auspices of your lordship,
that my late lamented friend, Mr. Salt, undertook his
first journey to Abyssinia ; an event, which accidentally
led to your lordship's first acquaintance with the author
of this Journal — one of those remarkable and adven-
turous beings, whom Nature, in her sportive humour,
seems to take delight in creating.
He was found by your lordship in the most forloni
and deplorable condition, and it was through your bene-
volence, seconded by the eflforts of Mr. Salt, that the
outcast became reclaimed, and once more obtained a
IV DEDrcATlO-N.
reputable footing in society. His gratitude for the
favours he received terminated only with his life, and
I am sure it must prove a source of lasting satisfaction
to your lordship, that you were made the immediate
instrument of rescuing a fellow-creature from that de-
struction, which tearly misconduct had nearly rendered
inevitable.
With respect to the Journal itself, it possesses no
claims to literary distinction. It is the artless and un-
varnished narrative of an uncultivated, but strong and
original mind, and, in preparing it for the public, it has
been my chief endeavour to retain, as much as possible,
the sense and language of the original, and to confine
my alterations merely to such corrections in orthogra-
phy, grammar, &c., as would tend to render it more
clear and intelligible to the reader. It is, however,
greatly to be regretted, that the various private and pub-
lic avocations of Mr. Salt, and his untimely death, pre-
vented him from fulfilling his intention of superintending
the publication of the manuscript.
With every kind wish for your lordship's prosperity,
health, and happiness, I remain, my dear lord.
Your Lordship's
faithful Friend and Servant,
J. J. HALLS.
Harrow, June, 1831.
CONTENTS
OF
THE FIRST VOLUME.
Life of Nathaniel Pearce, written by himself, and addressed to
Henry Salt, Esq 1
CHAPTER I.
Ras Welled Selasse — Submission of Guebra Garo, and his bro-
thers, Subegadis, Sardie, and Agoos, to the Ras — They again
rebel — Unite with the Gusmati Ischias, Ras Michael's grandson,
and other chiefs, to take the province of Tigr6 — Are driven by
the Ras's troops across the river Tacazz^ — ^Visit of Ras Ilo ; his
reception at Chelicut — Ras Welled Selass^ takes the field against
the Rebels — ^Mountain of Ambaarra, a stronghold of Subegadis —
He is dislodged from it — Preparations for War with Guxo — The
Gusmarsh Salada — Defeat of Guxo's army — Gojee — His bar-
barity — Guebra Guro again makes his submission — Forged Letter
respecting Pearce and Coffin — Reports concerning a white Tra-
velher — ^Displeasure of the Ras with Pearce, and reconciliation —
Present to the Ras from the King of Shoa — Battle between
Baharnegash Subhart and Shum Woldi — Death of Nebrid and
Funeral Ceremonies — ^Tusfu Mariam, one of the Ras's Chiefs,
surprised by Subegadis and slain — Operations of Guxo — Guebra
Ouro confined — Submission of the Gusmati Ischias and other
VI CONTENTS.
rebel Chiefs — Ravages of the Small-pox — Superstitions of the
Abyssinians in regard to Diseases 65
CHAPTER II.
Destruction of the town of Bolento by the Galla — Government
and manners of the Galla — Mr. Coffin's departure for Mocha —
Present from the King of Shoa to the Raa — The Small-pox —
Death of Ito Yasous, the King's brother, and his sister, Ozoro
Mantwaub, wife of the Ras — Affliction of the Ras — Funeral of
the Ozoro — Movements of Guxo — The Ras takes to wife
a daughter of the King Itsa Tecla Gorgis — Battle between two
chiefs at AntAlo — Submission of Subegadis to the Ras — Plans of
Ras Guebra and Guxo — Locusts — Famine — Itsa Bede Mariam,
formerly king, visits AntAlo — Insecurity of property — Reigning
kings of Abyssinia — The Ras assembles his army — Defeat of
Hilier Mariam by the Tigr6 army — Presents to messengers
of good tidings — Insurrection of Subegadis — Release of Guebra
Guro 93
CHAPTER III.
The Ras marches against a Galla Chief — Surprise and Defeat
of the Galla — Illness of Pearce — Justice of the Ras — Pearce
becomes worse — Is visited secretly by the Ras — Pearce visits the
Ras's brother, Ito Debbib— Stones with Arabic Inscriptions —
Cry for the death of the kings Yoas and Yonas — Lama — Rough
Races — Review — Pearce is obliged by his malady to return home
— His wife Tringo — Administration of the Sacrament — His re-
covery — Murder of the king of Shoa — Sacred Spring — Grand
Review — The Sacred Snake — Military Manoeuvres — Narrow
Escape of Pearce and Coffin 116
CHAPTER IV.
Death of the deposed king Itsa Ischias — Proceedings in a case
of Murder — Execution — Escape of the Culprit — Law relative to
Murder — March of the Army from Chelicut — Hikeer Mussal—
CONTENTS. Vii
Dacer— Aspect of the Country — ^The Aggerzeen, a species i.f
Deer^Retum to Chelicut — King Tecla Gorgis entreats the Ros
to march to Gondar — Entertainment of the Ras, when on march,
by the Chiefs — ^Mr. Coffin stung by a Scorpion — Feast at Moi
Agenzean — Entry of the Ras into Axum — Meeting of Tech
Gorgis and the Ras — Ozoro Dinkemagh — Ozoro Duster — The
King-Snake — Meeting at the Church — The Crying Cross — Picture
of the Virgin Mary 141
CHAPTER V.
Pearce is obliged by ill health to leave the Ras and return to
Adowa — ^He is joined by his wife — Recovers, and sets out for
Enderta — His reception by a Village Chief — Asgas Giggar —
Pearee's party refused accommodation by a Farmer — Custom of
Soldiers to quarter themselves on Farmers — Mountain of Awaro
— Arrival at Chelicut — Sudden death of two Servants, attributed
to ghosts or devils — Illness and death of Pearee's son — Gifts —
Funeral Ceremonies — Rapacity of the Priests — Death of Ito
Debbib, the Ras's brother — Cry held for him — Mourning . 177
CHAPTER VI.
Mr. Coffin's Journal of the Expedition to Gondar — Departure
of the Army from Axum — The River Tacazze — River Moi Loniin
— Oranges — Cotton — Irrigation — Monkeys — Strong Mountain of
Chirremferrer — ^The Troops annoyed by Stones rolled from the
Mountain — They take it by Storm — Fodder for Cattle —Hay not
known in Abyssinia — Dangerous mountain roads — ^The Worari,
or Foragers — Gudgauds, or Pits for concealing Goods — Adventure
of Pearce in a Gudgaud — ^Tree called Genvarar ; superstitious
notion respecting it — Encampments — The Ras enters Inchetkaub,
the capital of Ras Guebra — Arder Rnmmet, the capital of
Walkayt— -Reception of Woldi Comfu— The Shangalla— Ele-
phant-hunt — Story of a Monk — Strength of the Army — Sudden
Death of Woldi Comfu — A Galla girl stolen from the Ras by
his Nephew, Shum Temben Sarlu — The Ras deprives him of his
Vlll CONTENTS.
districts — Treaty with Ras Guxo and Ilo — Beautifal Valley of
Shoader 198
CHAPTER VII.
Mr. Coffin's Narrative concluded — ^Expedition to collect the
Income of Wogara, &c. — Lofty Mountain of Limalms — ^The
River Ungarrau — ^Arrival at Gondar — ^The king's house— Descrip-
tion of the town — Singing-Women — ^Wine — Fish — Mr. Coffin
receives a Visit from an old Servant — Jews — Priests — Church of
Quosquom — Building Materials — Painting — Return to Inchet-
kaub— Deputation of Priests sent by Guebra to intercede fo^r him
with the Ras — Intrigues of Guebra and Tecla Gorgis — Moun-
tain of Sankar Bar — Attacked and taken by the Ras — SlAUghter
of the enemy — Devastations of the conquerors — Mountain of
Amba Hai, Guebra's stronghold — The government of Samen
given to Guebra Michael — The Gama — Interchange of presents
between the Ras and Ras Guebra — ^Trial of an English cannon —
Story of a Turk ^ 251
CHAPTER VIII.
Pearce*s Journal resumed — His R^urn to the Camp and
Reception by the Ras — Cry held for the Ras's brother — Pearce's
Grass taken by the king — Church of Chelicut — The Organ —
Expedient for Scaring Grass-Stealers — Rage of the King — ^The
Ras's Buffoon — ^Buffoons kept by the Chiefs, and their Duties
— The King dines with the Ras — Person and Character of King
Tecla Gorgis — His Treachery — His Departure for Axum — Hail-
Storm — Devastations of Elephants 261
CHAPTER IX.
Character, Manners, and Customs, of the Abyssinians — ^Their
Complexion — Precarious nature of the Matrimonial tie — MaS'
ters and Servants — Mechanics — Extraordinary Superstition
respecting the Potters and workers in Iron — Supposed to have
the • Power of Transforming themselves into Hyaenas — The
CONTENTS. «
Zackary — Persons possessed with Evil Spirits — Cure for that
Disorder — Case of Pearce's Wife — Diseases — Treatment in
Small-pox — Four Species of Venereal Complaint — Medicines
— Scrophnla — The Tape-worm —Wild Honey — Lying-in Wo-
men—Ceremony of Christening — Whimsical Practice to pre-
serve Children from dying— Marriage— Divorce— Law-suits—
Wagers 282
CHAPTER X.
Arts practised to procure Husbands — ^Dowry — Ceremonies of
Marriage — The Arkeyt ; their Duties — Musical Instruments —
Dancing — Depravity of the Clergy — Licentiousness of the no-
bility and higher classes — Punctual observance of Fasts — Ad-
ministration of the Holy Sacrament — Marks of Respect paid
to Churches — Priests — Confessors — Schools — Punishment of
Scholars— Written Charms — Story of a Gojam Dofter — To-
bacco prohibited by the Piiests — Their Dress — Form of
Churches — The Tawat^ or Ark — Mode of obtaining Redress
from Princes or Chiefs — Payment of Taxes — Cattle — Servants
—Houses — Agriculture — Ravages of Monkeys — Crops — ^Weed-
ing— Cookery— Feeding 314
LIFE OF NATHANIEL PEARCE,
WRITTEN BY HIMSELF,
AND ADDRESSED TO BENRT SALT> ESQ.
Adawa, Jvly, 1817'
Sir, ♦^ '-
According to your desire^ which I am
very happy to obey, I send you every particular
of my life that I can possibly recollect^ pre-
viously to my becoming acquainted with you;
scandalous as it is^ the truth of it will shame the
devil.
I was bom at East Acton^ Middlesex, on the
14th day of February, 1779^ and before I was
seven years of age I had learned to read and
write a little, at a day-school in Acton, My fa-
ther, seeing me more inclined to wildness than the
book, sent me as far from him as possible, think-
ing it would be for my good, which was to the
Rev. Daniel Adderson's academy, at Thirsk, in
VOL. I. B
2 LIFE OF NATHANIEL PEARCE.
Yorkshire, where I remaiDed exactly six years,
during which time my mind was constantly given
to bird's-nesting, and to all manner of wild tricks,
for which I was continually punished severely,
till I got so hardened, that, at last, I did not mind
a flogging for a pocketful of apples, or a jack-
daw's nest; and, at the end of the six years, the
only improvement I had made in my scholarship
was, that I had got through the French Grammar,
and, in summing, into vulgar fraction^, which I
can assure you was not the fault of my master or
his ushers, whom I fairly tired out.
My poor old father, who loved me as he loved
his life, expecting, when he sent for me home, to
find me sufficiently learned to go into any kind of
business, received me with tears running from Ws
eyes, and, unable to express himself at the joy of
seeing me, caught me round the neck in his arms,
the same as if I had risen from the dead ; har-
dened though I was, I also shed a flood of tears.
The next day, several of my father's friends sent
to him, begging that he would allow me to pay
them a visit, to which he gave his consent. My
sister took me to several of our family's ac-
quaintances, all of whom expressed gr^at joy lit
receiving me, and asked me several questions
concerning how far I had got in my studies ; one
eBp6cially, a rank Methodist, asked me to read a
LiF£ OF NATHANIEL FEASCE. 8
few dbapters io tbe Testament. This request very
much shamed me^ and I at first refused, saying
tiiat I was not well^ however, he clapped the
book into m^ hand, and I began hammering and
stammering, which so much surprised the holy
gentleman, diat he said, '^ The Lord be with you
my child ! y«u are a great dunce/'
This unhappy discovery was soon reported to
my father, who fek very much for my misfnH*-
tune; though,. frcmi the tender affection he had
tor me, he never pretended to be angry when I
was in his sight. He knew perfectly well the
wUdness of my mind, and always pretended to be
well j^ased, for fear I should take flight ; be
constantly gave me good advice, and sent me
again to Dr. Hall's academy in East 'Acton,
where I learned more in five or nx months than
I did tt^ whole six years in Yorkshire. I soon,
however, b^an my wild tricks again, and was
continually playing truant ; aad, as the severest
punishment had no ^Eect upon me, my fatkar at
last determined, if possible, to break me in. He
accordingly sent me apprentice to a stubborn
and unmerciful carpenter and joiner, in Duke
Street, Groavenor Square, London, of the name
ofThatdier.
Being unaUe to bear his sulky look and hea^^
fist, I soon fonnd my way to Wi^ping, where, at
B 2
4 LIFE OP NATHANIEL PEARCE.
New Crane Stairs, I met with a waterman, to
whom I told my mind. Gl^ of his prize, he put
me into the stem-sheets of his boat, like a gentle-
man, and pulled me on board of a bark called the
Commerce of London. The mate, seeing me well
rigged, was very particular in inquiring into my
character, &c. &c.; especially where I was bom,
and whose son I was. Having been taught by the
waterman what answers to give, I perfectly satis-
fied the mate, the captain being on shore ; seeing
me a well-limbed, likely lad, he paid the water-
man, and gave him some drink for his trouble.
At sunset, the captain came on board, and the
mate immediately presented me to him. He
looked at me for some time, and asked, in his
broad Yorkshire accent, where I came from.
Being well acquainted with the Yorkshire dialect,
I answered as he liked, and told him I was bom
at Sutton, near Thirsk, in Yorkshire. He asked
me if I knew Beverley, where he said he was
born. I told him I had heard of it, but had never
been there. He asked me several other questions,
to which I gave good answers, but when he asked
me with whom I came to London, I was at a loss
to find out a lie that would satisfy him ; so, with
my stammering, he began to be doubtful of what
I had told him being truth. However, he said he
would report me to the owner, and get me an
LIFE OF NATHANIEL PEARCE. 5
apprentice's indentures and clothing. The water-
man^ who pulled me on boards knowing all my
secrets^ soon, for the sake of a shilling or two,
went to my sister, and told her what he had done
with me, I having been fool enough to tell him
that I had a sister living in the Minories^ About
three or four days afterwards, one of the appren-
tice-boys told me that my father was at the
owner's house in Mile-End; the owner's name
was Kiddy>. My poor father did all he could to
coax me back, but to no purpose, as I swore I
would tie a shot to my neck and jump overboard
sooner than go back. He at last found it all
in vain ; so he bought me sailor's clothing and
every necessary, and left me with tears in his eyes.
I made one voyage to Petersburgh, and, on my
return, went to see my sister, who kept me with
her until she sent to my father, who soon came
and took me home. As we rode home in a chaise-
cart, the poor affectionate old man asked me if I
had had enough of the sea, and gave me several
good pieces of advice, and promised me that he
would do many things if I would be dutiful. I
remained nearly three weeks pretty quiet ; but,
beginning again my old faults, my friends advised
my father once more to put me apprentice in
London, which he again did, and sent me. to a
wholesale and retail leatherseller's, in Duke
i LIFE OF NATHANIEL PEABOC. ^
Street, West Smithfield. My master, whose
name was Martin, in a few weeks liked me very
much, and entrusted me more than any one in his
house; he scarcely ever required me to do any
thing, but to go on messages to Ixnubard Street
with bills of exchange, &c. ; in doing which I
always gave him great satisfaction, and never was
wrong in bringing him any sum of money that I
might have received from the bankers, or the
houses of creditors. However this did not last long;
my mistress, Mrs. Martin, and I, did not agree^ so
I packed up my kit of clothing when my master
was absent, and set out for Deptford, where I
found a boat's crew of young lads, like myself.
We soon got acquainted; — ^they belonged to a
new sloop of war, called the Alert, then just
fittmg out ; one of them fetched me a dress of Jiis
own from the ship, and I sold my fore-and-
afters, or long clothes, to a slopman. When we
had spent the whole of the money, I went on
board vpitb my new companions and entered. I
was immediately put upon the ship's books, and
ordered to do my duty in the afterguard, but soon
after in the maintop. After the ship was com-
pletely fitted out, we dropped down to Long
Reach, where I was again surprised to see my
father and master come on board. They said but
little to me, knowing it to be too late ; but they
LXFS QP NATHANISI* PSA^U^K* 7
bagged of the captain, Charles Simth« and the
first lieutenant, Mr. Atkins, ^ l>e as iayourable to
me aa possible, an4 8^^^ theopi to understand all
my fftults. They then returned home, leaving
me some pocket-money in the first lieutenant's
hands*
We wmt two prui^s in the North Se% accom-
panied by the Aibicore, after which we were
ordered to Sheerness, to fit out and take in pro-
visions for six months. Que evening, after clear-
ing a lighter of provisions, on her shoving off
from alongside, the topping-lift of her main-boom
got over the outer boom-iron of our main-yard ;
we immediately let gp the main braces, that she
might Qpt spring the yard. As she hung, with a
rapid tide, I ran out upon the yard-arm, and be-
gan to cut away her topping-lift ^ liut, before my
knife had gpt through one iilrand, the heavy strain
snapped the topping -lift all of a sudden, and the
slack of the main brace, not being gathered in the
yard, w^nt with such a swing, that it threw me
over the lighter into the middle of the stream.
The boats were immediately manned and shoved
off to pick me up, but neither officers nor men
expected to find me, the night being very dark ;
and they thought the breath must certainly have .
been out of my body before I reached the water.
One of the boats, the jolly-boat, luckily, not being
8 LIFE OF NATHANIEL PEARCE.
able to pull against the tide^ drifting down to the
pointy came close to me^ as I was swimmings as I
thought^ towards the shore; as soon as I saw
her, I sung out, and they gladly hauled me in
half-dead ; they pulled up along shore, and we
reached the ship, the officers all being greatly
surprised. They gave me as much grog as I chose
to drink. During the whole time I was in the
water, I never let the knife go out of my hand.
My father, being informed of the accident, came
with all haste, and once more shewed the tender
affection he had for me.
When the ship had completed her provisions,
we were ordered to Portsmouth, and soon after to
Plymouth, where we took a packet on board for
Newfoundland. On the 10th day of May, 1794,
we were chased by L'Unit^, French frigate, of
44 guns, and, although we put on every stitch of
sail we could, she came up with us fast : our
captain, seeing it was to no purpose to try to
outrun her, turned the hands up to shorten sail,
and afterwards beat to quarters. I, being quar-
tered in the main-top, had a clear view of her
black sides, as she came up to windward ; before
she had time to take in her small sails, our main-
top-sail was clapped to the mast, and our broad-
side poured into her. Superior as she was, we
kept her at it at close quarters, for one hour and
L1F£ OF NATHANIEL PEARCE* 9
three quarters ; we had only two foremast-men^
who were quartered in the mizen-top^ and one
marine killed, but several wounded. I was among
the party of prisoners, with the captain^ who was
taken on board the frigate ; the remainder of our
crew being left on board our own ship. On the
24th^ we were drafted on board different ships in
the grand French fleet, which we that day fell in
with. I was among a party that was sent on
board Le Trajan^ 84 guns. Some had the good
fortune to be put on board Le Sanspareil, 84,
which was soon after taken on the 1st of June.
On the 27th and 28th, we saw the English
fleet to leeward, and on the 29th, some squadrons
of our fleet came into action in the evening, but
no ships were lost or taken. On the 30th and
31st, there was so thick a fog, that we could
scarcely see '^ the ship in the line a-head of us;
but, on Sjiijday, the 1st day of June, very early
in the morning, I was sitting on the Frenchman's
bowsprit, in the fore stay-sail,'when I heard them
sing out from the mast-head, that ihe English
were in sight, and I soon had the happiness of
seeing their bright yellow sides. The French-
men piped to breakfast, but I can assure you, that
there was scarcely an English prisoner on board
that could eat for joy. The Frenchmen boasting,
I got myself some good hard thumps for telling
b5
10 LIFE OP NATUANIBL PEA&CE.
fiome of them they would change their tune be«
fore sunset. As soon as they came nearly within
shot^ the prisoners were ordered into the main-
hold, where we lost sight of what we so much
wished to see. The ship we were in was dis*
Blasted, and reduced to a perfect wreck; but^
unluckily for us, not taken. The Fr^ich captain^
seeing his decks covered with dead and wounded^
ordered the prisoners double allowuice of wine^
and to lend a hand to rig a jury foremast, and, in
a few days, we reached Brest ; — a pretty sight,
for the Frendimen to see their lame ducks come
ill in a line !
. We were soon landed and marched to Ponta-
4}6ze, where we remained two or three months,
very cruelly used : we were afterwards marched
several -days' march through the country to
Qmmper. The only town I can possibly recollect
'Ae name of, which we stopped at on our march,
f s Landerneau, where I and four more ran away
fpcntk the guard, and, four days after, were taken
very near the sea-coast. We were taken to
Quimper, where we were ordered into the town-
gaol, and I, beiiig a boy, had only twelve-pound
irons put upon my legs ; but the other four had
f»xteens.
We were kept in this gaol six weeks, and after -
Wards put into the main prison of war, where
UPE OF NATHANIEL PEABCE. 11
there were then three thousand three hundred
prisoners, English, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguea^,
&c. ; but, before three months, one thousand five
hundred died with sickness and hunger. 1 myself
was very near my last, had I not had the good
fortune to find a friend, an American, of the name
of Bodington, who contumally advanced money
to the English officers who could give sufficient
security. Mr. Taylor, doctor of the Alert, who
was the only officer of our ship in that prison,
seeing me in the miserable condition I was, took
me to Mr. Bodington's, where he indorsed a bill
for five pounds upon my father, lliis little h^p
saved my life, and I was soon perfectly weU-^J^t,
not being contented to remtun a prisoner, I and
seven men made another attempt to escape, got
over the prison walls by night, without being seen
by the sentries, and took our course for the sea ;
but, five days after, we were taken and unmerci-
fully used. We were then marched to the main
road, to join the prisoners who were going from
L'Orient and St. Maloes into the interior ; but,
before we reached them, we came to the city of
Vannes, where we were put into the town-gaol,
and very well used by the keeper and his famUy.
After being there some time, the gaol-keeper's
daughter, a very young girl, became so fond of me,
that she got me liberty from her father to go
12 LIFE OF NATHANIEL PEA11CE«
about as I liked^ but the men were closely con^
fined ; indeed^ the father^ mother^ and the whole
family, grew so fond of me, that they did not wish
me to be parted from them. One day, an order
came to have the prisoners ready to march on the
morning following ; on hearing this, the whole
family told me to pretend to be sick, when, they
said, they would help to get me into the hospital.
Accordingly the goal-keeper went to fetch a doctor
from the Dispensary, telling the directors that a
young English prisoner was dying with the fever.
The girl, who was so fond of me, fearful that the
doctor would find me out, persuaded her mother
to do something to me to make me appear sick,
and accordingly she boiled some tobacco and gave
it to me to drink, which made me vomit and left
me so sick and faint, that I could scarcely stand.
In the middle of my feigned sickness the doctor
came in, and, as soon as he had felt my pulse,
ordered me immediately to the hospital : where
they first gave me an emetic. The prisoners were
marched away in the morning, and I being left
behind, the doctor ordered me into the fever-ward,
or the salle de fi^vre^ where I had only houillie
allowed me for two days, which made me curse the
gaolrkeeper's daughter, but, in a few days, I was
ordered demi or half-allowance. I soon reported
myself well, and the goal-keeper came to demand
LIFE OP KATHANttX PfiARCl:* 13
me; but the head director^ observing that there were
no other prisoners of war in any of the prisons of
the town^ ordered me to remain with the steward
of the hospital; and^ in a short time^ both the
director and the steward, seeing the many services
that I did them, became so fond of m^ that they .
gave me the office of capitaine des infirmeries, and
accordingly the wine, bread, and meat, were all
served out by me, and also weighed in my sight,
and, in the steward's absence, I wrote the bons to
the baker, butcher, &c., and a Aow, written by me
and signed with my name, was as valid as if the
Erector or steward had written it himself.
The director often took me out riding with him,
and gave me pocket-money, and indeed looked
upon me as his own son; however, all this did not
satisfy me : I rather wished to ride on board of one
of my own country ships than the director's pony,
and accordingly, hearing that the English fleet
was in Quiberon bay, I agreed with some emi-
grants, or aristocrats, as they were called, to run
away. These were five in number, none being
much older or younger than myself, but very much
more learned, and the sons of great families. We
got over the hospital walls in the night, and di-
rected our course towards the sea, with an inten-
tion to get among the loyalists in Quiberon; but,
to our great misfortune, as we approached in the
14 UFS OF NATHANIEL FEAECE^
frening very near to that place> which the ^igijif]^
had put the loyalists in possession of^ a very heavy
firiog began, which made us endeayour to bide
om*sel¥es, and we l^y down aiaong some sea«we^»
that was oa the beach at low wnAer. We soou
liter heard the cry of " Five la Jtepubliqu^ /'*
which struck the young emigrants with so much
terror, that they could scarcely tell what route to
take. However, we set out along-shore as fast as
we possibly could, until morning, when we met
with some Bretons, who informed us that the
loyalists were all taken by the republican general.
Those Bretons were also afraid of beiQg caught, as
they had been employed in taking provisions to the
loyalists. We were soon captured by some pea-
sants, who had turned republicans, and were taken
to Vannes and put into la prison crimineUe, and
the next day a sergeant and ten private soldiers
came and marched us out of the prison 3 as we
went through the town, I heard several of the peo»-
pie say " What has the little Englishman done ?
He is a prisoner of war, and not an aristocrat ;"
on hearing which, I said to my companions,
" What are they going to do with us?*' One of
them replied, " You are safe enough, but this is
-our last day;" 'and one of them was crying bit-
terly. I wondered greatly what was to be done
with us, until we were marching sur le Gazon, a
UP£ OF NATHANIEL FEAKCC. 15
hill oatside of the town, where I saw the republi*
can flag, and knew directly what was to be done.
I immediately asked the sergeant of the guard if
he was not mistaken^ and did not know that I was
a prisoner of war. He only lai^hed and gave me no
answer whatever, and I began to be very much
afraid, until we were halted before the French
town -major and his guard. The five young emi*
grants, my companions, had their hands tied be*
hind them, and a corporal took me by the hand^
and led me to the town-major, who ordered me
to the priscm ; but the director of the hospital
who was sitting with him, said, ^^ Let him see his
aristocrat companions shot first." There were
several o£Bicers, who endeavoured to beg pardon
for them, considering that they were very young,
but to no purpose; they were immediately shot
dead by the ten soldiers, who brought us from the
prison. The director told the major not to send
me into the prison, and said he would take care of
me himself. The major laughed at me, and told
me, if I ran away again with the emigrant prison-
ers I should be shot with them. I promised I
would, not, and the director ordered me to my
former duty. The next day, I went to see the
French emigrants, who were taken prisoners at
Quiberon, march into the town ; among them I saw
several Englishwomen, who had come with the
Id LIPfi OP NATHANIEL PEARCC.
Frenchmen from Southampton] these emigrant
prisoners amounted to about seven hundred. They
were all shot by divisions, sometimes fifty and
sometimes less j they were not buried, but thrown
into the river, about three miles below the town,
where they were shot on the beach. The inhabit-
ants of Vannes would not, at that time, buy any
fish that were brought to the market, saying they
were fed on the flesh of the aristocrats.
I learned from the Englishwomen, who had taken
republican husbands in the town, that there were
boats employed by the English to keep close to the
beach near Quiberon, in the bay, by night; these
boats were manned by, and belonged to, Breton
loyalists, who took any loyalists who had made
their escape from the republicans to the English
squadron. I told a young emigrant, who was in
the hospital, what I had learned from my country-
women, taken prisoners with the loyalists who
came fromEngland to Quiberon; and he asked me,
if what had passed had not made me frightened
enough to drop all thoughts of running away ; at
which I only laughed, and told hhn, I would get
among my own countrymen or lose my life. He,
perfectly well knowing that I could get him safe
through the Infirmary ward by night, desired me
to be very particular in inquiring of the women,
so that no mistake could be made.
LIFE OF NATHANIEL PEARCE. 17
I learned for truth that the signld the loyalists
made to the boats was by a flint and steely and,
when on the beach, at the water's edge, to strike
fire every now and then, but to be very particu-
lar that the fire might not be seen on either side,
along the Hhore, as the sentries were placed very
near each other. After providing ourselves with
a flint and steel, I passed the young emigrant
through the wards and over the walls, and we set
out with all speed, going all the night, which was
very dark, until daylight, when we went into an
old nunnery to hide ourselves during the day,
being about two miles from the beach ; as soon as
it was dark, we set out for the part of the beach,
which we had seen best from the top of the nun*
nery. As we saw no boat, in the day-time, near
the shore, nor any one stirring about the beach
but the sentries, we began to be doubtful of the
truth of our information ; we went, however, up
to our knees in the water, and managed to strike
the light so that the sentries could not see it, and,
in less than ten minutes, a boat came near enough
to take us in without swimming. As soon as we
were in the boat, the young emigrant told the
Bretons who he was, and desired them to take him
to the French loyalist general, Count d'Artois, on
board the English transport 5 but the master of the
boat told him that he expected some one else
18 LIFE OF NATHANIEL MAEOB.
whom he had purposely come to look out for ; so
we shoved off from the shore to a short distaiice,
where we lay nearly an hour, when we saw a light
struck very near the spot at which we were taken
in. Tliey skulled the boat in close to the water's
edge, being afraid to pull, as the sentries might
hear them. They took in a priest and some other
loyalist, and shoved off, and pulled us on board
of a ekas8€-mar^.
The next day, I was sent on board La Pomone^^
Commodore Sir John Warren, and, after telling aU
the particulars to the captain, he ordered me into
a mess* A few days after, the young emigrant
oame on board of the commodore with some
French gentlemen, and, seeing me stand on the
gangway, he called me to him and privately g^ve
me ten English guineas, and told me to write my
direction in English, where I was bom, my father's
name, &c., saying, ^^ If God is good, I will some
day do good for you.'*
I had not been long on board La Pomone,
before I was sent on board a man of ws^ brig, a
prize which we took on the coast. We were sent
to Portsmouth, where I saw an officer who was in
Quimper prison. He was taken in the Castor
frigate, and then belonged to the Bellerophon,
74, in dock, being the third lieutenant. As he
knew me perfectly well, I applied to him to
im OW NATHANin FEAKC£« 19
get zne my wi^s for the Alert, which he readily
did^ and he afterwards took me on board of the
hulk to the first lieutenant, I was put on the
Bellerophon's books, and ordered to do my duty in
the main-top. 1 had before this time written to
my father, who caune as usual with all speed.
As it is too painful to me to give you any more
particulars of my poor father's affection to me, I
will make my letter as short as I can. I was not
on board the Bellerophon more than six months,
during which time we only went two cruizes,
when I deserted at Portsmouth, and worked my
passage to South Shields^ in a small brig, which
had delivered her cargo of coals at Portsmouth.
I again worked my passage in another brig from
Shields to London, and, as soon as we were as far
up the river as Gravesend, I sent a letter to my
sister, who still lived in the Minories« She soon
informed my father, and he again came to Wap-
ping Old Stairs, in a hackney-coach, and took
me to a friend of his in the City* I remained in
London about three weeks. My poor old father,
seeing me still wild, was advised to send me as far
from home as possible; and, accordingly, he
bought me a large chest of clothing and every
necessary a seaman could want, and, being ac*
quainted with some gentlemen in the India House,
he got me on board the Thames East Indiaman,
80 LIFE OF NATHANIEL PEARCE.
Capt. Williams, bound to China. On our passa^
to China I was taken very ill with the yellow
jaundice, at St. Helena, but I soon got well. In
our passage, we went through the Straits of Sunda,
where we took a Malay prow belonging to the
Dutch, from Batavia, laden with arrack.
We put into Amboyna, where, going frequently
on shore with the captain, as I belonged to his
boat, or barge, I took a fancy to see in what man-
ner these Malays lived in the country, or inland
parts of the island, and, if possible, to live some
time among them . Accordingly I, with two more,
agreed to swim from the ship by night, to the
opposite side from the garrison, which we did ;
but, the great distance rendered us so weak that
we could scarcely stand when we touched the
bottom with our feet. We immediately set out
from the beach inland, and at daylight arrived
among some Malays, men and women, who were
employed in packing up fruit to go to the town of
Amboyna. We agreed to stop with these people
for some time, and gave to the head man amongst
them some money to go to the town to buy pro-
visions and arrack. On his return we all sat
down together, about thirty men and women, all
nearly naked, and made a hearty feast ; after we
had eaten our fill of rice and dried fish, we began
to drink the arrack, which soon took effect on the
UFE OF NATHANIEL FEARCE. SI
Malays, and they b^an cutting extravagant ca-
pers, as if they were mad, and soon brought five or
six Dutch swords, swearing they would kill us,
as, they said, we had only come to intrigue with
their women. We, each having a large stick,
that we had cut on our road, began to defend
ourselves. I got a cut on the thigh from one
of them, but the old or head man among them,
seeing that we were overpowered, agreed to take
us to the town and deliver us up to the gover-
nor ; which they did, and we were conveyed
down the jetty Mdth a guard of Sepoys, and sent
on board our ship. We were immediately put
into irons by Mr. Hall, the chief mate, and kept
so until the ship sailed. As soon as the ship was
under weigh, the hands were turned up to punish
ment: accordingly, we were brought on the quar-
ter-deck, and the captain said, " Mr. Clark,"
(when I deserted from the Bellerophon I changed
my name to my mother's) " you are the leader,
your father told me of your wild tricks — ^I for-
give those two, and will touch you up and make
you tame if your father could not." Accordingly
I was tied up and received two dozen lashes; and
my grog was stopped for one month.
When we were at China, I went several times
firom Wampo to Canton in the barge with the
captain, and afterwards upon leave, to receive two
fiS LIFE OF NATHANIEL PEARCE.
months' pay at the factory, during which time I
found some Armenians, who came into a China--
man's shop, while I was buying a sea stock of
sugar. I asked those merchants where they camce
from ; and they told me that the caravan they be-
longed to went from China to Russia, and I
begged of them to take me widi them, which they
said they could not do. I then told them I would
desert from the &ctory by night, and would ge
with them as a servant, if they would take me ;
but they positively denied that they dared take me
with them. The Chinaman^j hearing all this, weat
to the captain, and told him I wanted to desert ;
so I was again made prisoner and punished as
before, on board our ship, by tihe chief mate, who,
having a great regard for me, spliced another
dozen, which made three : he had also been .per-
suaded by my father to tame me, if possible.
On our homeward bound passage, we put into
the Cape of Good Hope, where I left flie Thames
and delivered myself up as a deserter, and went
on board his Majesty's ship, the Sceptre, 64.
Captain Williams, of the Thames, begged of the
captain to return me, which he would have done,
if I had not refused to go back, saying that I was
a deserter from a king's ship. The captain said,
** If you deliver yourself up as a deserter, I can-
not send you back '" so I was put on the Seep-
LIFE OF NATHANIEL PEARCE. 23
^re'fi books^ and ordered to do my duty on the
forecastle. In a short time^ I was ordered into
the captain's barge, as strokesman, and, when the
coxswain was sick or on other duty, I often took
hiB birth, and got greatly in favour with the
captaiD, then Valentine Edwards. He very often
tcdd me, when steering him on board, by night,
in strong sonth-easters, in Table Bay, that, if I
chose, he would make me a midshipman, and that
his son should teach me navigation, but I always
refused, saying, I was not fit for the office.
We were ordered, by the admiral, to take part
of the 84th regiment, with General Baird, to
Madras) we first landed the troops at that place,
and then took them on board again for Bombay,
where our ship was put in dock, and the ship's
cmnpany sent to Butcher's Island. During the
time we were on the island, I heard a great many
stosieB about the queen of Mahratta*, and a report
was industriously spread among the ship's com-
pany, that all Englishmen who deserted and went
into her service were made officers, generals,
colonels, captains, &c. &c. One evening, while
we were sitting in the barracks, we were nine or
ten in number, drinking bur day's allowance of
grog, one of my messmates said, ^' We have been
* This 18 probably a mistake for the head of the Mahratta
gorertinient.
24 LIFE OP NATHANIEL PEARCE.
long enough foremast- men ; it is almost time we
should be officers, and if you have a mind to
swear to be true to each other, we will be officers
or lose our lives/*:^ Accordingly, seven of us in
number took our o^ths to run away with the
country boat, that I bought our provision from
Bombay to the island, ind the next day we kept
a good look-out, to see i^ what part of the beach
they would anchor the toat for the night. At
dark, we all swam to her, and, in cutting away
her cable, wakened two l^ascars who were sleep-
ing in her ; they soon gave the alarm, and our
second lieutenant came with all speed, with a
guard of marines, and fired three or four volleys at
us, but to no effect : we were certain indeed that not
one marine belonging to the ship would aim at us.
As soon as we got about a mile from the island
and close to the Isle of Elephanta, we hove the
two Lascars overboard, so that they might swim
on shore, for, if they had remained with us, they
would have returned after we were landed, 'and
given intelligence of what course we had taken.
From the time we landed we were three days
before we reached Poonah : on our approaching
that capital we fell in with an English soldier,
who was himself a deserter from the Honourable
^ Company's Madras Artillery ; he had for some
tinie been in the service of Holkar, and asked our
LIFE OF NATHANIEL PEARCE. 25
intentions, which we soon told him, when, like a
repenting sinner, he began a mournful story. He
told us that he had been for some days very
ill with the flux, had no hopes of getting better,
and was going to deliver himself up to the English
Resident, then Colonel Palmer. He gave us some
friendly advice, and we then set out for Scindia's
camp, with all speed, before we should be re-
ported to the Resident: but, previously to our
being introduced to the chief, or head general, I
had seen enough of the miserable situation of the
European o£Bicers, and persuaded the rest of my
messmates to l^ave the camp, and, if possible, to
shape our course for Goa, and get on board a
Portugueze ship. We hesitated for some time
before we agreed, considering that the distance
was too great, without provisions, but at last we
were determined, if possible, to weather it out,
and we started : but, before we were more than
three miles from the camp, the Resident's guard
overtook us, and we were made prisoners and taken
to the Resident's son. Captain Palmer, who ordered
us into the guard-house. During this imprison-
ment, the Resident and his son behaved more like
fathers to their children than officers t^deserters;
they filled our bellies with good victuals, and
afterwards sent a letter of recommendation to our
captain, begging him to forgive us. When we
VOL. I. C
2G LIFE OF NATHANIEL PEARCE.
itere sent to Bombay^ Captain Palmer came to
see U6 start, with a strong guard of Sepoys, and,
observing that our feet were cut and much hurt
by thorns and stones, he gave every one of us a
pair of shoes, but, most of us being so sorefooted,
we carried the shoes in our hands. After the second
day's march we fell in with an English officer,
and some Sepoys, with English muskets, belong-
ing to Scindia ; he told the Soubadar of our
guard, that he had been to Pan well upon duty for
Scindia : however, our guard greatly mistrusted
him and took us to lodge as far as possible £rom
him ; but, in the evening, he sent a boy in dis-
guise to us, and he, talking very good English,
delivered his message very plainly. He said tliat
Colonel White told him to tell us to run away in
the night and come to him, and then we should
be safe enough, for, if we went to Bombay, we
should be sure to be hung by sentence of a court-
martial. He said he had formerly deserted from
the Suffolk, 74 ; and two or three of my mess*-
mates would have agreed, h^d not I and another
sworn that we would rather be hung by our own
countrymen than remain slaves among those black
rascals.
. We were therefore taken to Bombay, and put
into the town-prison, our ship being then fitted
out, and ready for sea. The captain came to see
UF£ OF NATHANIEL PEAECE. 37
ufl in the prison, and said to me, '^ Mr. Clark, I
had a better opinion of you," and he went on
board and sent a guard of marines to fetch ua.
As soon as we were on board, three of our partj,
being old offenders, were put in irons, and ordered
to prepare themselves for a court-martial ; we
four were brought to the gangway, and punished
with two dozen each, and were ordered to our
duty as formerly. Our captain and o£Bicers were
very good, and never kept this offence in their
hearts; only sometimes, when I was to be at the ,
wheel, they would laugh and say, " Mr. Clark,
you wanted to be a general aU at once.''
When w^ arrived at Madras, our three com-
panions were tried by a court-m^^-rtial, on board
the Suffolk, Admiral Rainier, and one, being an
old offender, was sentenced to five hundred lashes
from ship to ship, the other two, to one hundred
and fifty each. . The day they were punished, we
were also ordered into the launch, to be towed
round the squadron with them; we would have
?eadily agreed to take each thirty or forty lashes
HI their stead, but we dared not say so.
We afterwards sailed for the Cape, with a
Convoy, and on our passage we burned a French
pri?ateer brig, in the island of Rpdrigues, near
tile isle of France. Soon after our arrival, the
admiral, Neilson, being dead, we became commo"
c 2
tB LIFE OF NATHANIEL PEARCE.
dove, ours being the oldest captain. On the 5th
of November, I believe— ^though I do not exactly
recoUect that it was in the year 1796, but if you
inquire of my brother Joseph for the exact dates,
he will find them in my letters to my father — a
very heavy north-west gale of wind came on, and
such a heavy sea set into the bay, that the whole
of the ships struck their topmasts and lower
yards. We were at the same time refitting;
however, to make short, we, soon after firing the
salute for the 5th of November, began to part
from our anchors, one after another, and then
fron^ our guns, which we lashed with the kedge-
anchors, and were driven on the beach. We were
not on shore long before a heavy sea hove our
ship broadside on into the heavy surf, and she
soon began to go to pieces. After I had parted
from the wreck, I was immediately struck sense-
less by a spar, and all appeared like a dream to
me, until I found myself in the hands of people
rubbing my body before a large fire; we were
between forty and fifty, who were saved out of the
whole number of our crew, of four hundred, be-
sides a number of invalids from India. Our poor
captain, who behaved more like a father to the
ship's company than otherwise, said, when we
asked him, as he sat on the quarter-gallery while
the ship lay on her beams, if we should try to save
LIFE OF NATHANIEL PEARCE. 39
bim in the boat^ then not cut away from tht
booms^ ^^ My dear fellows^ we are now all cap-
tains alike^ and every one must do the best for
himself/ ' These were the last words I ever heard
him utter. Both he and his son, and every officer
on board, were lost. Our first lieutenant, Mr.
Pengelley, was on shore onJeave. In the morn-
ing, after being taken from the beach, not quite
sensible^ I was surprised when I found myself
with several others in a Dutchman's oven. One
of our party had died 5 we, who were saved, were
sent ta the hospital. The second day after, I went
to see if I could find out any of my messmates, that
I might bury them separately, but every one was
so much disfigured and bruised that I could not
tell one from another : so they were buried like
the rest, forty and fifty in one hole or grave, on the
beach : but very few of them were brought to the
burying-ground.
We remained in the hospital until the Lan->
caster, 64, Admiral Sir Roger Curtis, arrived;
when we were immediately sent on board her.
I was again sent on shore, with Lieutenant Walker,
who was afterwards drowned in Saldanha Bay,
with a party of the Lancaster's crew, to get up the
Sceptre's guns, &c. that lay in shallow water ; we
were on shore about six weeks, and got up several
of the guns and carriages, after which we went
90 LIFE OF NATHANIEL PEARCE.
to cruize oflF the Isle of France. WhUe we lay off
Port Louis^ an Amboyna ship came round Canno-
nier Point, and got into the harbour in spite of us,
although we fired several broadsides at her, and
followed her so close in that the shells fell on all
sides of us. This enraged our captain so much
that he determined, if he lost eVery boat in the
ship, to cut her out in the night.
Accordingly, Mr. Gray, the first lieutenant of
the Adamant, 50, and our first lieutenant, Mr.
Macfarlane, and several other officers of both
ships, commanded the boats, and we shoved off
all together in a line, just as it was getting dark,
and before we came within musket-shot it was so
dark that we could scarcely see the boat astern of
us. The governor, being doubtful of our intention,
had sent a great many people on board the ship
to get her close in, and also some soldiers to guard
her : as soon as they heard the noise of our oars
in the water, they began to fire like thunder at us,
but, I believe, only two were wounded while in our
boats. Our first lieutenant had his right arm
broken, when boarding, with the blow of a hand-
spike. We soon drove them in great confusion,
some overboard and some below, but we had several
wounded, and, as soon as the batteries were opened
upon us, we got her head towards the harbour's
mouth and put all sail on her, but, it being almost
LIFE OF NATHANIEL PEARCE. dl
a calm^ we were obliged to tow her during the
whole time, while the shot from the two batteries^
one on each side, were flying over us, though very
little hurt was done. We had but two men killed
outright, but several wounded : I was myself
wounded in the loins by a splinter. We took our
prize to the Cape, with several other prizes, and
I was sent to the hospital, where I remained for
five months before I recovered.
During this time, our ship went to cruize oif the
river La Plata. When she returned, I was sent
on board of the Adamant, to go round to join her
in False Bay. We soon after had the happy news of
peace, and we all had hopes of once more being
free in our own country. Some Dutch frigates
arrived with a convoy of transports and troops for
Batavia, and soon after, a Dutch squadron, with an
admiral on board a 64, called the Pluto, came to
relieve us. When the Dutch troops were landed,
and the English troops embarked, a packet came
about two hours before the keys of the castle were
to be given up, with an order not to deliver up
the Cape to the Dutch, there being still some' dis-
pute to be arranged. Soon after our packet, a
Dutch packet came, so we moored in a line along-
side of the Dutch men of war, with our guns kept
double- shotted. The day after the Dutch packet
arrived, there was an order for fifty English sea-
32 LIFE OF NATHANIEL PEARCE.
men to land from every ship^ to protect the garri-
son^ and marines to man Amsterdam Battery^ the
English transports having all sailed for India with
the English troops. The seamen who were to be
landed from our ship were chosen^ and caps were
made of canvas, and blackened and shined, with
the ship's name in the front, in white letters. I
was ordered to act as serjeant-major over all the
^small-armed party of seamen in the garrison; and
the lieutenant, who was acting as our captain, gave
me the privilege of seeing the provisions and wine
served out, and all who went into the town, in
their turns, upon leave, received a written pass
from me. Shortly after a packet arrived, with an
order to give up the Cape to the Dutch, and we
were sent on board with our hearts full of joy,
thinking we should once more sail for Old England,
and be paid oflF; but how much were we surprised,
when we saw the admiral's flag hoisted on board
the Diomede, 50, and our captain and several
others of the admiral's favourite officers go on
board the Diomede, and Captain Fothergill come
and take the command of us. However, we did not
know the secret until we all got under weigh to- -
gether. After we had passed Penguin Island, the
admiral and his squadron kept on before the wind;
the Tremendous, 74, hauled upon the wind to
the southward, and we followed her example, the
^^
LIFS OF NATHANIEL PEARCE. 33
admiral still keeping his course, as well as the rest
of the ships with him. Our ship's crew looked
one at the other, as if they had lost their senses,
saying, "Where are we going to now it*s peace f*
However, this caused a great murmur in the ship's
company, though nothing serious happened.
When we arrived at Madras, we were told the
whole; and the ship's crew soon began to be
pacified and as happy as ever. After we had been
some time atTrincomalee, in the island of Ceylon,
and along the coast, a French squadron, under
admiral Linois, arrived while we were in sight of
Ppndicherry. The admiral got under weigh with
the squadron to meet them, and saluted. Both
squadrons anchored in the roads, while we were
left as guardship higher up on the coast. One
night, a schooner-trigged vessel passed us ; we
hailed her, and she told us that she came from old
France. We boarded in the guardboat, with the
second lieutenant, Mr. Gilchrist 5 and I was ordered
to go on board as interpreter ; we went with her,
until we. brought-to alongside of our admiral.
During the time we were on board of her, I learned
from one of the foremast- men that war had again
broken out, and that they had a packet on board
for the French admiral Linois. I told Mr, Gil-
christ of this, but he said we could do nothing
without orders from England. The very same
c 6
U LIFE OP NATHANIEL P£AEeE«
nighty or the night after^ the whole French sqoad*
ron slipped their cables^ and got clear out without
ever being missed until daylight. We got under
weigh in search of them^ and cruised in all parts
where we were likely to find them. This cruise
was a very unfortunate one ) a great number of
our ship's company died with the scurvy, and
scarcely hands enough remained to work her.
The admiral gave up the cruise^ and we sailed far
Bombay. I myself was so bad in the loins^ from
my old wounds, that I could scarcely get up the
hatchway-ladders. When we arrived in Bombay,
the doctor ordered me to the hospital, with several
of the ship's crew, and, after I had been there
some time, an inspection was made of the sick
and wounded in the hospital, and I was io*
valided.
Shortly after, I began to get a great deal better,
and, my wild tricks still haunting me, I tried to pass
the sentry at the hospital gate without leave; the
black Sepoy never said, " Where are you going?**
or any thing else, but gave me a hard blow with
the butt-end of his musket, which I soon toc^
from him, and, in the scuffle, broke his bayonet,
and gave him a thump on the temple, so that he
ffeU to the ground. The sergeant and the guard
came running to his assistance, and I fought my
way through them, until I got intp th^ wi^rd of the
LIFJB OF NATHANIEL PEARCE. 35
urnJids, where, the next day, a search was made
for me, and the Sepoy sergeant told the head
doctor that he could find me out by a cut on the
thumb and shoulder that he had given me. As
soon as he had found me out, a sentry was ordered
to watch me in the ward, until some officers be-
longing to the men of war should come. By this
time the Lancaster, which had been in dock, had
sailed, very happily for me, in the night. I pre-
tended to have occasion to step out, which I did,
and, while the sentry stood at the door, I got out
of the window; the sentry at the gate was asleep,
and I got through the small door without his
hearing me. Being told that the sentry I had
struck with the* butt of his own musket was
Vkdj to die, I was very much alarmed, and made
the affair known to Mr. Hall, an officer of the
Honourable Company's marine, who took me on
board the Antelope, and, for fear I should be
known to any one by my name, I changed it to
Franyois Dilvaro, and we sailed to Mangalore, to
take on board Lord Viscount Valentia, with whom
we sailed for the Red Sea.
Dear sir, you know as well as I do every par-
ticular after that tin^e. What I have written is
all I can possibly recollect, but every word of it
is real truth, and it may, perhaps, be the means
of your not soon forgetting me. I hope you will
36 UFE OF NATHANIEL PEARCE.
always consider me as your servant^ though
brought down to the very extremity thtough diar^
ease^ in a foreign land^ where charity, at the pre-
sent time, is not known ^ for, believe me,i I shall
always consider you as my master and only friexid
in this world, and, if I never again may see you^
I shall die in the hope that God will comfort our
souls in the world to come. I can assure you,
that when I go near the. spot of ground where you
last left me, not quite a mile from this, I often say
in my heart, and sometimes to those that are with
me, " This is the spot where I unwillingly took
my last farewell of my poor friend, Mr. Salt^^*
and a heavy shower of tears then runs from my
eyes, as it does at this moment. I can assure you
it was my wish to haiVe gone a greater distance
with you, if I had not been persuaded otherwise.
It is not pleasant for me to trouble you with
any more at present > so 1 conclude,/ remaining^,
until death.
Your very aflSectionate and humble servanl^
NATHANIEL PEARC^.
P. S. If you fend any blunders in my writing,
you must lay the fault to my eyes, which are so
very weak that I can scarcely see to read what I
have written, except it be early in the morning.
-1
LIFB OF NATHANIEL PEAItCE« S7
For the remaiiider of the eventful life of thin
singular and adventurous man the £ditor is in*
debted to the kind information afforded him by
Mr. Coffin^ who accompanied Pearce on his first
toyage to Mocha; to Pearce's own narrative^ given
m Mr. Salt's last Travels in Abyssinia; and finally^
to parts of the correspondence between that
gentleman and Pearce.
On the arrival of Pearce, in the Antelope, at
Mangalore, Lord Valentia and his suite were
taken on board, and the ship immediately pro-
ceeded on her voyage to Mocha. On reaching
that place, she remained a few days, to take in
water, &c., and then pursued her course, on a
survey of the coast of Africa, up the Red Sea, to
Massowa, and so on to Suakin, where, an unfor-
tunate misunderstanding taking place between
lord Valentia and Captain Keys, the commander
of the Antelope, the whole party returned to Mo-
cha ; whence, after residing in the factory a few
days. Captain Keys took his departure for Bom-
bay; but Pearce, knowing the perilous situation
he should be placed in on his arrival at that set-
tlement, deserted from the ship, swam on shore
in the night, surrendered himself to the Dola,
and turned Mahometan.
On the departure of the Antelope, Lord Valen-
tia accepted the kind offer of Captain Vashon, of
88 LIFE OF NATHANIBL P£AftC&«
the Fox frigate^ to give his lordship a passage to
Bombay ; but^ previously to the sailing of that
ship^ his lordship^ Captain Vashon, his ofEicerd,
and the English consul at Mocha, used the
most strenuous endeavours to prevail on Pearce
to return^ unfortunately, at that time, without
success ; when his lordship went on board the
Fox frigate, and proceeded on his voyage to.
Bombay, where, after a full investigation of Cap-
tain Keys's conduct, the Company's cruizer, the
Panther, Captain Court, was ordered to proceed
with his lordship again to the Red Sea, to com*
plete the objects of his former voyage.
A few days after the arrival of the Panther at
Mocha, Pearce, who had meanwhile become
heartily sick of his new religion and his resi-
dence in Arabia, was met in the streets of Mocha
by Mr. CoflBn, who asked him what he thought
of his present situation ; to which he replied, he
was heartily tired of it, and would give worlds to
get away, begging Mr. Coffin to use all means in
his power to get him removed from his forlorn
and miserable condition. Mr« Coffin agreed, and,
immediately on his return, communicated the
poor fellow's despair and repentance to Lord Va-
lentia and Captain Court ; who, sincerely com-
passionating his situation, lost no time in taking
such measures' as they judged most likely to^
UFE OF NATHANIEL PBARCB. tr
ensure his escape.. Accordingly^ the night before
the Panther sailed on her destination to Massowa^ .
after a- previous communication with Pearce, a
boat was sent, to be in waiting on a retired part .
of the coast, as had been before arranged, to take
him and several other English renegadoes on
board. After the boat had waited some time^
Pearce and another came to the appointed place^
and were immediately taken to the ship, the
hearts of the others having failed them. The
next day, the Panther sailed to Massowa, where
it was finally determined that the expedition to
Abyssinia, which had been for some time in i^*
tation, should be undertaken by Mr. Salt and
Captain Rudland, accompanied by Pearce and
some others.
The proceedings of the party, during its
stay in the country, being already before the
public, it is only necessary to observe, that,
under all the circumstances of his case, it was
judged most advisable that Pearce should remain
behind in the * country, not only as it accorded
with his ovm wishes, but in many respects seemed
likely to forward the views with which the expe-
dition was originally undertaken. After leaving
with him such necessaries and comforts as might
be of service to him in the sequel, and strongly
reconunending him to the kindness and attention,
40 LIFfi OF NATHANIEL PEARCS.
of the Ras of Tigr^, the party took their leave of
him and returned to Massowa^
For some time subsequently to the departure
of Mr. Salt from the country^ the Ras^ in his.
treatment of Pearce^ appears to have religiously
adhered to his promise of affording him his
friendship and protection ; he was placed in the
service of Ozoro Setches^ a lady of the highest
rank, and the legitimate wife of the Ras, with
whom he remained as a kind of confidential friend
for about half a year, in the full enjoyment of
her favour and countenance. Unfortunately, how-
ever, the high estimation in which he was held
both by that lady and the Ras excited the jea-
lousy of some of the most influential chiefs at the
court ; who, gradually instilling their own unjust
prejudices into the mind of the Ras, induced him
to treat Pearce with indifference and neglect, and
to deprive him of many of the privileges which
had previously been granted to him. The natural
turbulence of Pearce's spirit was ill calculated to
support, with the requisite patience, this change
in his situation and circumstances, and led him
to remonstrate on the occasion, with a degree of
violence that lost him, for a time, the favour of
the Ras, and reduced him to a state of absolute
dependence upon some of the young chieftains of
the court.
LIl-E OF NATHANIEL PEARCE. 41
During this temporary disgrace^ he judiciously
employed his time in acquiring a knowledge of
the Tigr^ language, which, he wisely judged,
could alone enable him to get the better of his
enemies, whenever a fair field should open to him
for the display of his zeal and ability. An occa-
sion of this nature shortly occurred, in March
I8O7, when a powerful league was formed, by
many of the most formidable chiefs in the in-
terest of the descendants of Has Michael, for the
destruction of Has Welled Selass^ ; who, raising
a powerful army to oppose the insurgents, quickly
reduced them to unconditional submission : but,
before the affair was finally concluded, an oppor-
tunity was afforded to Mr. Pearce of displaying
his courage and fidelity. While the negociations
for peace were going on, a plot had been formed
^ some of the hostile chiefs to bum the Ras at
Ws quarters in Adowa, where he lay, in the full
confidence of victory, at some distance from his
*nny and very slenderly attended. The scheme
had nearly succeeded, and part of the premises
were already in flames, when Mr. Pearce, who
was encamped with the army outside of the town,
wing awakened by the glare of light, seized his
JHusket, and, hastening to the spot, rushed un-
dauntedly through the flames, to the assistance
of the old man 3 when the fire was shortly after
42 LIFB OF NATHANIEL PEARCX.
extinguished^ and the chiefs implicated in the
ph>t were taken^ in a great degree through the in-
strumentality of Pearce, and punished. The ccm-
rage and promptitude he evinced on this occasion
restored him to the favour of the Ras^ who gave
him a white mule^ encreased his allowances^ and
appointed him to the honour of attending Ozoro
Turinga, a sister of the Ras^ with an escort, back
to Antillo.
This favourable state of affairs, however, was
not of long duration: the jealousy of his enemies
and his own impetuous temper quickly brought
on an absolute rupture between him and the Ras;
and he threatened to go over to his great enemy,
Gojee, which so incensed the old man, that he
told him, though he would prevent his putting
that plan in execution, yet he might go any
where else he thought proper, provided he never
appeared in his presence again. In consequence
of this dispute, Pearce left Antaio, and for some
time led a kind of wandering life in different
distiicts of Abyssinia and some of the bordering
countries, where he was generally received vrith
kindness and hospitality, till he determined, at
length, to' shape his course to Samen, and visit
Ras Guebra, the powerful governor of that pro-
vince. During the journey he passed over the
summit of the lofty mountain Amba Hai, which
LIF£ OF NATHANIEL PSABCE. 43
he found tremendoii3ly difficult in the. ascent, and^
after descending gradually on the other side for
about five hours^ arrived at Inchetkaub^ the capi-
tal of Ras Guebra, by whom he was hospitably
received^ and kindly advised to return to Ant&lo,
and make up matters with the Ras, though for
that time without success. Shortly after his
arrival at Inchetkaub, he was attacked by an in-
flammation in his eyes, greatly resembling oph-
thalmia, which nearly confined him to his bed,
and was probably occasioned by the glare of the
snow, to which he had been exposed in passing
over the high mountains of Samen. While lying
in this miserable state, he was visited, in the ab-
sence of his servants, by a woman with whom he
had formerly been well acquainted. She brought
a young man with her whom she called her bro-
ther, and both expressed so much joy at seeing
Pearce, and appeared so sincerely to commiserate
his situation, that he was quite overcome by the
interest they took in his welfare. The conclusion,
however, of the affiiir, was not quite so agreeable^
as he discovered, soon after their departure, upon
the return of his servants, that they had plun-
dered him of every thing he possessed, except his
musket, which lay under his pillow, and the gar-
ments which he wore. The woman, being taken
a day or two afterwards, ^confessed the robbery.
44 LIFE OF NATHANIEL PEARCE.
and several articles were recovered; but the
greater part, together with his Journal, had been
carried off by her companion, who effected his
escape.
The loss he had thus sustained, joined to the
weak state of his health, made Pearce give up the
idea of advancing farther into the country 3 and^
hearing about this time, from some of his Tigr^
friends, that the Galla, under Gojee, had advanced
to attack the Ras Welled Selass^, as far even as
Antklo, he determined to forget all past misun-
derstandings and hasten to the assistance of his
former master. In this generous, and, as it after-
wards turned out for him, fortunate, resolution, he
was supported by Ras Guebra 5 who, on parting
with him, in December 1807, made him some
handsome presents, and sent with him one of his
confidential messengers, to speak in his favour to
Ras Welled Selass^. After taking his leave, Mr.
Pearce proceeded rapidly on his journey, till he
reached the banks of the Tacazz^ ; where, owing
to the swollen state of the river, some delay oc-
curred in crossing it; but the passage was at
length accomplished with great difficulty, and
the party, on the 29th of December, reached the
neighbourhood of Antklo. As Pearce and his
companions advanced, they found the country in
great alarm at the near approach of Gojee, who
-H
LIFE OF NATHANIEL PEARCE. 45
had gained possession of a large portion of Lasta,
and was within a day's march of £nderta. This
intelligence caused Pearce to hasten his progress^
and he reached the gateway of the Ras early on
the morning of the 30th.
On his arrival, many of the chiefs expressed
their- astonishment at seeing him^ and strongly
urged him not to venture into the presence of the
Ras ; but Pearce felt too proudly conscious of the
motives that prompted him to return to feel any
apprehension, and requested an audience of the
Ras, to which he was immediately admitted. As
he approached the old man, he thought he saw,
as he expresses it, ^' something pleasant in his
countenance,'' as he turned to one of his chiefs,
and said, pointing to Pearce, ^' Look at that man !
he came to me a stranger, about five years ago,
and, not being satisfied with my treatment, left
me in great anger ; but now that I am deserted
by some of my friends, and pressed upon by my
enemies, he is come back to fight by my side." He
then, with tears in his e^es, desired Pearce to sit
down, ordered a cloth of the best quality to be
thrown over his shoulders, and gave him a mule
and a handsome allowance of com for his sup-
port.
Soon afterwards, the Ras, having assembled
his army, marched against the enemy, and, after
i '-
46 LIFE OF NATHANIEL PEARCE.
some skirmishing and shew of negociation, Gcyee
shifted his ground to the plains of Maizella, which
he had determined should be the place of action^
and the Ras took up his station close to the Ain
Tacazz^ for the night. In the morning, a last
attempt was made by the Ras for an accommo-
dation, w|iich was haughtily rejected by Gojee,
and both parties prepared for a decisive engage-
ment on t^e following morning. In the action
that ensued; the Ras appears to have arranged his
forces with considerable skill, but the impetuous
charge of the Galla upon his centre, where he
commanded in person, forced it to give way.
The Ras, enraged at the sight, called for his
favourite horse, which was held back by his chiefs,
who felt anxious for his personal safety, when
the old man urged his mule foirward and galloiped
to the front ; where, by his conspicuous appear-
ance and gallant demeanour, he quickly infused
fresh energy into his troops and retrieved the
fortune of the day. On this critical occasimi,
Pearce was among the first in advance, and the
Ras, seeing him in the thick of the fight, cried out,
*^ Stop, stop that madman !*' but he called in vain.
Pearce dashed on, killed a Galla chief of some
consequence, and by his courage throughout the
day gained the admiration of all around him.
Gojee himself escaped with difficulty, ud his
\
LIFE OF NATHANIEL PEARCE. 47
whole army was totally routed. In the counse of
the many desperate enterprises in which the Has
was engaged subsequently to this celebrated vic-
tory, Pearce, who always accompanied him, had
seFeral opportunities of distinguishing himself and
of establishing a high character for intrepidity and
conduct.
After this harassing campaign, the Ras re-
turned in triumph to Antklo, where he and some
of the principal chiefs shewed Pearce the highest
marks of their favour and admiration. The
blessings of peace succeeded for a time the hor-
rors of war ; and about this period Pearce mar-
ried a pleasing girl, the daughter of an old Greek,
named Sidee Paulus : but this tranquillity was of
short duration. Subegadis and his brothers re-
used, early in 1809, to pay their customary
tribute, and otherwise forced the Ras into a diffi-
cult and predatory war among the mountains,
which furnished Pearce with fresh opportuni-
ties for signalizing his activity and personal
bravery.
On one of these occasions, he would have in-
entably lost his life but for the generosity of one
of his opponents. He had been ordered, with
some of the Ras's people, to seize a number of
^ttle, known to be concealed in the neighbour-
nood, and the party succeeded in securing above
48 LIFE OF NATHANIEL PEARCE.
three hundred; but, owing to 'a stratagem of
Guebra Guro's, one of the brothers of Subegadis,
he lost a number of men in the enterprise. This
chief and about fourteen of his best marksmen
had placed themselves, in a recumbent posture,
on the brow of an inaccessible rock, whence they
picked off every man who ventured within musket-
shot. At one time, Pearce was so near this dan-
gerous position, that he distinctly heard Guebra
Guro order his men not to fire either at him,
Pearce, or at Ayto Tesfos ; calling out to them,
at the same time, ^^ to keep out of the range of
his matchlocks, as he was anxious no personal
harm should happen to his friends/' The Ras,
finding he could make little or no impression -
upon the wary enemy he had to encounter, burnt
the town of Makiddo, and returned with his army
to Adowa.
On his arrival at that place, Pearce received a
letter from Captain Rudland, the £ast India Ck>m-
pany's agent at Mocha, dated May l/th, 1809,
requesting him to go down to Bur^, where he
would meet him. This promise, however, it ap-
pears that gentleman was unable to perform ; and,
on Pearce's reaching the coast, he found himself
almost alone in the midst of a barbarous and san-
guinary race, and nearly without money, provi-
sions, or protection.
.^^
LIFE OF NATHANIEL PEARCE. 49
In this deplorable state he remained till the
20th of July^ when^ from the want of food^ he
was forced to dismiss the Abyssinian escort that
had accompanied him^ and to wait patiently for
the arrival of Captain Rudland^ with only four
servants ; all of whom, with himself^ would pro-
bably have perished from want^ had it not been
for the kindness of the master of an Arabian
dow^ who humanely supplied the party with
some zvwarry and dates in exchange for a bill on
Mocha. After remaining in this impleasant situa-
tion for some time^ and narrowly escaping from
a plot laid against his life^ he was, at lengthy
relieved in some measure, by the arrival of a
dow from Mocha, with Mr. Benzoni on board,
who persuaded him, much against his will, to take
diarge of a cargo of goods for Abyssinia, through
the barbarous tribes, of whose want of hospita-
lity and good faith he had already had so bitter
an experience. Before Mr. Benzoni took leave
of Pearce, he made him some useful presents, and
gave him a hundred dollars ; of which, however,
from the circumstance having transpired, he was
completely stripped by the cupidity of the savage
borderers, before he reached the frontiers of
Abyssinia.
The articles placed under his charge were very
near sharing the same fate, and, on one occasion
VOL. I. D
60 LIFE OF NATHANIEL PEARCE. .
in particular^ he was obliged to protect them^ at
the hazard of his life, by shooting one of his
treacherous conductors. LuckUy for Pearce^ he
had then entered the frontiers of Abyssinia, and
the report of his blunderbuss brought the people
of the district aroimd him, when his villanoua
guides, with their wounded companion, fled in
great alarm, and Pearce proceeded, without farther
molestation, on his route to Chelicut; where the
sagacity, intrepidity, and talent, he had displayed,
throughout the whole of the expedition, secured
him a most flattering reception.
. A few months after these transactions, Mr.
Salt arrived in the Red Sea, upon his second mis-
sion to Abyssinia, and it was probably fortunate
for him that Pearce's journey had been com-
pleted before his arrival in those parts; as.he had,
at first, determined upon following the same
route, in preference to his former one by Mas-
sowa, till he received letters from Pearce, strongly
dissuading him from making an attempt, which
sad experience had taught the latter to be fraught
with almost insurmountable difficulties and dan-
gers. The receipt of this intelligence induced
Mr. Salt to alter his intention, and he, in conse-
quence, steered his course to Massowa, where he
was joined by Pearce and Ito Debbib, with a
party of Abyssinians^ on the IDth of February,..
LIFE OF NATHANIEL PEARCE. 61
1810^ and proceeded, without any serious acci-
dent, to the Raa's residence at Chelicut.
. From circumstances related in bis Travels, Mr.
Salt's stay in Abyssinia was only of abort dura-
tion, and, after remaining a few montbs, he bade
a final adieu to the country, leaving behind him
with Pearce the supercargo of the ship, Mr.
Coffin, to whose voluntary zeal, promptitude, and
courage, the whole expedition, on its first arrival
at Amphila, had been greatly indebted. Previ-
ously to Mr. Salt's departure, he strictly enjoined
Pearce to keep a regular journal of passing
events, and of the adventures in which he might
be engaged — ^a request with which, in spite of
the subsequently distracted state of the country,
Pearce appears generally to have complied.
The result of his industry is now, for the first
time, submitted to the public; and to it the rea-
der is referred for such particulars of the Author's
life as occurred between the years 1810 and
1819, when he arrived at Cairo* On his reaching
that city, after having encountered many diffi-
culties and perils, both by sea and land, he found
that Mr. Salt was absent on an excursion into
Upper Egypt ; and, being anxious to meet him
with the least possible delay, he set off on a
voyage up the Nile, in search of his friend-and
benefactor : the meeting between them is not
n 2
68 UFE OF NATHANIEL PEARGE.
described in the Journal^ which breaks off very
abruptly;, but it appears^ from some ori^nal
letters^ that he was received by Mr. Salt with
that warm-hearted kindness and liberality, which
ever distinguished the character of that benevo^
lent and lamented individual.
The conclusion of Pearce's history may be
briefly told. On his return to Cairo, he was en-
trusted with the entire direction of Mr. Salt's
household, when the duties of the Consulship de*
manded the attendance of the latter in other
stations ; a capacity in which he appears to have
surpassed the expectations of his master, by his
economy and general management of the estab-
lishment. During his short residence at Cairo
in this situation, he arranged and wrote his Jour-
nal from the various documents he had brought
with him, or from time to time forwarded from
Abyssinia to Mr. Salt. It will be seen by ex-
tracts from letters still in existence, inserted by
Mr. Salt in his Appendix, how highly he esti-
mated the Journal as a faithful, characteristic, and
animated description of the customs, manners,
and laws, of the Abyssinian people, and which,
it is greatly to be regretted, his ill state of health,
domestic misfortunes, and the augmentation of
his official duties, prevented him from personally
inspecting, according to his expressed intention. .
LIFE OF NATHANIEL PEARCE. 53
Besides the Journal^ Pearce was at this time
employed by the Rev. Mr. Jowett in translating
portions of the New Testament in the Tigrtf
language^ for the use of the Church Missionary
Society^ and at one time he had^ imder the au*
spices of Mr. Salt, actually set out on a journey
to Jerusalem with Mr. Jowett, which^ however,
from some cause that does not appear^ was sub-
sequentiy abandoned.
The chequered life of this remarkable individual
was now fast drawing to a close. In the early
part of the year 1820, Mr. Salt, having some ar-
ticles of consequence, which he wished to have
safely conveyed to England, and having previ-
ously been informed that the R. prefixed to
Pearce's name at the Admiralty had been erased,
through the kind interference of the Earl of
Mountnorris, Sir Joseph Banks, and the Right
Honourable Charles Yorke, thought the oppor-
tunity a favourable one for the return of the
wanderer to his native land. A passage wa«
accordingly secured for him, in a ship that was
about to sail in a few days, and every accommoda-
tion provided, when he caught a violent cold,
which, being greatly aggravated by the mistaken
and somewhat intemperate use of brandy, quickly
turned to a raging fever, with which his consti-
tution, long debilitated by hardship and disease.
54 LIFE OF NATHANIEL PEARCE.
was wholly unequal to struggle^ and which car-
ried him offy at Alexandria, early in June^ 1820,
at the age of about 41 years. A short time pre-
viously to his dissolution, he made his will^ in
which, he bequeathed his Jotimal, and the whole
of his papers, to Henry Salt, Esq., one of his
executors, who presented the former and many
of the latter to the Ead of Mountnorris, to whose
kindness and friendship the Editor is indebted
for the possession of the Journal.
JOURNAL,
ETC., BTC.
CHAPTER I.
Ras Welled Selass^ — Sabmission of Guebra Garo, and his bro-
thers, Snbegadis, Sardie, and Agoos, to the Ras — ^They again
rebel — Unite with the Gasmati Ischias, Ras Michaers grand-
son, and other chiefs, to take the province of Tigr6 — Are driven
by the Ras*s troops across the river Tacazz4 — ^Visit of Ras Ilo ;
his recepti(Hi at Chdiicat— Raa Welled Selass^ takes the field
against the Rebels — ^Mountain of Ambaarra, a stronghold of Sa-
begadis-^He is dislodged from it — Preparations for War with
Grnxo — ^The Grnsmarsh Salada — ^Defeat of Goxo's army — Gojee
— ^His barbarity — Guebra Guro again makes his submission —
Forged Letter respecting Pearce and Coffin — Reports concern-
ing a white Traveller — Displeasure of the Ras with Pearoe, and
reconciliation — Present to the Ras from the King of Shoa —
Battle between Bahamegash Subhart and Shum Woldi — Death
of Nebrid and Funeral Ceremonies — ^Tusfa Mariam, one of the
Ras's Chiefs, surprised by Subegadis and slain — Operations of
Guxo — Guebra Guro confined — Subraissicm of the Gusmati
Ischias and other rebel Chiefs — Ravages of the "Small-pox —
Superstitions of the Abyssinians in regard to Diseases.
At the latter end of May, 1810, Ito Subegadis,
and Guebra Guro, under pretence of making it up
with Ras Welled Selass^, against whom they
had rebelled, sent to him their brother, w:hose
name was Sardie, and who, throughout the re-
bellion, had been with the Ras, and was a great
56 OUEBRA GURO.
favourite with him^ to declare, that if the Has
would share the country belonging to their father,
between the four sons, viz. Subegadis, Sardie,
Guebra Guro, and Agoos, they would come in to
him; to which he, the Ras, agreed. Accordingly,
Guebra Guro arrived, on the 6th of June, at
M ucculla, and came before the Ras, with a stone
upon his neck, which is customary on such occa-
sions, and the Ras forgave him. His brother,
Subegadis, was left at home, under pretence
of illness, but it was soon ascertained to be a mere
feint, for carrying on, with the less suspicion, his
&rther rebellious practices; while his brother,
Guebra Guro, being then with the Ras, and in
apparent amity, served as a blind to the intended
treachery.*
This last notorious rebel twice visited the Ras,
who gave him a shummut or district, aiid treated
him with great attention. One day, while he was
at Chelicut, there was a great feast among the
priests of the Ras's church at that place, in the
Ras's presence, and at his house; when, after
eating and drinking till the priests began to be
merry and dance in their usual fashion, some of
the Ras's soldiers, being pretty merry also, from
the quantity of maize they had drunk, began to
exhibit before their master, in the Abyssinian
fashion, and to boast of their prowess, and the
\
SUBMISSION OF OUEBRA GURO. 57
great feats they had done^ and would do, in his
service. Among the rest, Guebra Guro started up^
with his shtUtle, or knife, drawn, and a brufy or
goblet of maize in his hand, saying, ^' Hold your
tongues ! by the Ras's flesh, I am Guebra Guro,
I am a lion, I am a slave to the Badinsah/'
Having made an end of his boasting, he said, " I
have been a rebel these two years against my
master ; but, for the time to come, if ever I be-
have otherwise than as a slave to the Badinsah,
I am no longer a Christian, in which faith I was
bred and bom;" then, catching hold of his martab^
or the blue thread round his neck, which distin-
guishes a Christian, he cut it in two, adding that
he hoped he might be cut down, as he had cut
his martab, if he did not behave as he had pro-
mised ; at which the Ras's people were very much
pleased and gave him great applause.
Next day we went to Ant&lo, where the Has
gave Guebra Guro a very handsome matchlock
and a horse; he also showed him the presents
brought him from England by Mr. Salt. After
taking leave of the Ras, Guebra returned with me
and Mr. Coffin to Chelicut, and it being on his
road home, he stopped at my house about three
hours, ate and drank with us, and afterwards
began to discourse about the tlas going to war
with the Amhara. He said, that, if it so hap-
D 5
68 GUEBRA AGAIN REBELS.
pened, he should wish to swear us beforehand to
be to him as brothers ; that he would provide us
with honey, flour, and sheep, for the expedition >
and that we should find powder and shot. To get
rid of our troublesome friend, I told him, that^
though we never swore upon such occasions in
our country, yet, that if once we said the thing,
we would stand, to it. He then begged a little
powdler of me and took his leave.
This was on Thursday, and, on the Thursday in
the following week, news was brought to: the Ras^
that Subegadis and Guebra had raised a strong
army of rebels, bound their brother Sardie, and
fought against the country of Derra, and taken
the chief of that district, named Abba GolanL
Carsu, besides killing a great number of people^
and burning several towns and villages. Abba
Golam Carsu is accounted a very hard-fighting
and brave Abyssinian, but was. overpowered by
Subegadis and his brothers. The Ras was very
much concerned about him; at the same time the
Gusmati Ischias, Ras Michael's grandson, -who
never had been quiet three years together since
the commencement of Ras Welled Selass^'s go-
vernment, from the notion that he himself was
best entitled to be Ras, appeared also in rebellion,
and joined Nebrid Aram, formerly governor of
the province of Adowa,.and a servant to the Ras,
THE RAS TAKES THE FIELD. 5^
who had previously taken up arms. These two
chiefs, together with Palambarus Guebra Amlac;
and Shum Temben, settled that Subegadis should
meet them at Adowa, where they were to tmite
and take the whole of Tigr^, and that Guxo was
to come from Gondar^ and join them to take
Enderta.
Ras Welled Selass^ was at first for marching to
Tigre himself, had he not been prevented by his
Blitingatore, Woldi Gorgis, and Palambarus
Toclu, who sent him word that it was not worth
his while to trouble himself about such rebels as
those, since they, with the .other chiefs of Tigr^,
who still remained friends to him, together with
his troops then in Tigr^, would be enough to
destroy, or otherwise drive them out of the coun-
try ; to which the Ras agreed, and stopped ac-
cordingly at Antfdo. Before the two parties
of rebels could join, the Ras's forces had pursued
the Gusmati Ischias and his associates, till they
found them encamped near Axum, in the plain>
called Attsowo; these, finding that the Ras's
troops were too strong for them^ made off, with
some loss, to the other side of the Tacazz^,
whither they had previously sent the cattle they
had plundered in that part of Tigr^.
They also met with the Walkayt Negadi
^floy which they plundered of a very great quan-
60 THE GUSMARSH GUXO.
tity of elephants' teeth^ and a thousand pieces of
Walkayt cloth^ cotton^ &c. Being followed by
the Ras's troops^ they made bat a short resistance^
on the bank of the Tacazz^, and then fled across
the river^ qute out of the Ras's dominions. The
Ras's troops encamped there^ rioting upon their
plunder^ until the rebels were quite distressed for
want of provisions ; when they were glad to. retire
to Waldubba, \^here they remained till the Gus-
marsh Guxo sent his head general^ or Gusmardb,
Ackly Marro^ to meet them^ by whom they were
kindly received at Wogara^ and thence conveyed to
Guxo^ who was then in Gondar. He received them
very honourably^ and afterwards reviewed their
troops^ telling them not to fear^ as by the montb
of Tesas^ or December^ he would give them Tigr^,
Enderta^ and all the Ras's dominions^ and then
ordered them^ namely^ to Gusmati Ischias one
hundred chums of com^ which is eight hun*
dred bushels; the same to Nebrid Aram; fifty
chums to Palambarus Guebra Amlac^ and fifty
to Nebrid Aram's wife, Ozoro Wolleta Michael^
daughter of Ito Debbib, Ras Welled Selass^'s
younger brother, though as great a rebel as her
husband.
During this time, Ras Ilo, of Lasta, came upon
a visit to Ras Welled Selass^, at Chelicut ; I and
Mr. Cofi&n went on horseback to meet him^ but
SALUTE OF RAS ILO. CI
ire returned at full speedy having received a mes-
sage from the Ras^ who desired us to proceed bb
fast as possible to Chelicut^ and have a salute
ready for Ras Ilo^ on his entrance into that place*
At his aifival^ he was saluted with five guns^
in the English fashion^ hy me and Mr. Coffin,
with one of the three-pounders brought into the
country by Mr. Salt, the other being at Mucculhi*
When be had approached within five hundred
yards^ we began, and fired five times with English
cartridges^ before the party could advance half
way. Indeed, Ras Ilo was so struck by the un-
expected explosion, that, had he not seen our old
Has ride on the quicker, I believe he would have
gone back. It gave him great surprise to behold
the rapidity with which we could load and fire,
as his attendants could not have loaded and
fired a noatchlock even twice in the same space of
time. The Ras, in the course of the same day,
^)egged us to show them the English exercise, at
which I professed myself a good hand ; the mo-
tions I first went through, and the discharging
of five or ten cartridges as quick as possible
astonished Ras Ilo and his attendants. Ras Ilo
had never seea a cannon in his life before, and
seebg it run, with its utensils, &c.> on its car-
Tis^e, he was quite astonished, and said, in a low
tone, '^ I thought there was no country like our
62 PREPARATIONS AGAINST SUBEGADIS.
own for instruments of war, but I now find I was
mistaken/*
This chief remained some time at Chelicut ; it
appeared that he was alarmed by Guxo, \frhq had
threatened him as well as the rest. The Ras^
on his departure, performed shillimho, that is^
dressed him out very fine in silks, a regular cus-
tom upon such visits. He also gave him five
handsome matchlocks, and four large and two
small Turkish and Persian carpets, of great value
in this country. After Ras Ilo had taken leave
of the Ras, he gave me a mule and a good sheep-
skin dress, and a sheepskin to Mr. Coffin, with
promises of future friendship ; he left Chelicut
on the 3d of July. The Ras remained there for
some time afterwards, and then went to Antido.
On hearing that Subegadis wbs plundering and
destroying all the neighbouring countries^ and
that nobody could face him, he ordered all to be
got ready against Kudus Yohannis, or St. John's
day, which is the first day of M ascarram, or Sep-
tember, and the drum was beaten in the market-
place, to order all Enderta, Giralta, Temben,
Saharte, Overgalle, Bora, Salora, Dova, Wojjerat,
Womburta, Dacer, &c., to be ready at that time^
and join him at Aggulah. Tigr^ and Shir^ were
left to take care of the country, against the
other rebels, who had gone to the Amhara.
TH£ RAS JOINS THE AEMT. 63
I and Mr. Coffin went with the Raa and his army
to MuccuUa^ taking our horses, arms, &c., with
provisions necessary for the campaign.
When ive joined the army, on the Thursday
following, the Ras was very much displeased at
not finding all his chiefs, as he expected ; but, on
our march, the next day, he became better satis*
fied, on seeing his troops hourly joining him by
thousands. About four thousand horse and thirty
thousand foot joined him, that evening, at Arra*
mat; the whole of the musketry amounted to
about eleven hundred, the remainder were spear
and shield men.
The next day we marched to Aggulah, where
we stopped tmtil Monday; the Abyssinians,
from motives of piety, never marching on a Sun*
day or on any holy days with an army. From Aggu-
lah, we advanced to Adegraat, in the country of
Agam^, where Subegadis, hearing of the Ras's
approach, immediately fled. When we had de-
stroyed all the corn, and burned every town and
village in that part, we marched to Asuffa, where
Subegadis had been the night before, but left it
as the Ras approached.
We stopped here six days, imtil our cattle hitd
consumed all the green com, and then marched
to Gundegunde, at which place stands, as the
natives report, one of the most ancient churches
84 STRONG MOUNTAIN OF AMBAARRA.
in Abyssinia, named Redan-er-merrit. Thong^b it
is in the Taltal country^ the priests defend it
easily, as the ascent to it is so steep that one
man could defend it against a thousand. Tliis
church it is superstitiously believed in the country-
was built by God ; in it a large book is preserved
that is held in great veneration, and is said to
have been written by order of queen Helena, or
Eleanor, We here learnt that Subegadis had
taken to his strong mountain-hold close byi
where he meant to give battle to the Ras, if he
dared to approach, thinking it impossible that so
strong a position could be stormed.
This mountain is called Ambaarra, and it is one
of the highest I have seen in Abyssinia. Amba
Hai and Behader may be seen from its summit i
and^ from the other side, the sea^ which, I sup-
pose, may be about six or seven leagues distant.
It is very difficult of ascent, and, as no mules can
go up it, we stopped,, and encamped at Gunde-
gunde, imtil the 13th of September. Very early
that morning, we began to march towards the
foot of the mountain, the Ras having sent for-
ward a storming party at midnight^ unknown to
most of his chiefs.
About eight o'clock, we arrived at the foot of
the mountain, when, alighting from our mules, I
sent them back to the camp. The road we came
_J
ATTACK OF AMBAARRA. 65
upon our mules was a very steep hill. We now
began to climb the height^ and could pliunly hear
the storming party^ which the Ras had sent under
the command of Chellica Woldi Michael^ one of
his favourites^ engaging the enemy ; a continual
fire of muskets being kept up above us. I and Mr.
Coffin began to ascend long before the Ras ; and
canie, in about an hour, to the spot, where we
foimd Subegadis enjoying the pleasure of picking
off the Ras's soldiers as he thought proper,
ahhough they were more than one himdred feet
above him. It was impossible to see any of his
men, the loose rocks and the entrenchments he
bad made being covered with the trunks of laige
trees, which had been cut down for that purpose;
^d the steep precipice, opposite to which they
stood, would not permit above one or two at a
time to be lowered down to attack them; in at-
temptmg which, they were shot by Subegadis's
soldiers and rolled down to the foot of their en-
trenchments.
I and Mr. Coffin stood among the Ras's sol-
ders, thinking we might get a shot through the
boles, whence the fire of the rebels was directed ;
W,, finding it of no use, and that it was impossible
to see any thing but solid rocks and entrench-
inents to fire at, and about fifteen men being
^^b^ady killed close to us, we sat ourselves down
66 FLIGHT OF SUBEGADIS.
in a secure place until the Rae should come up.
Upon his approach, the soldiers came running
and roaring like wild beasts, firing sometimes a
hundred muskets together, though there ^wbs
nothing to direct their aim but the smoke of the
enemy's guns. Subegadis, however, finding him-
self short of powder, and seeing that as fast
as his enemies were killed others advanced
nearer and nearer, and having besides no water^
began to be alarmed for the situation he held^
lest he should be surrounded, and t&erefore
made his retreat up the mountain opposite to
us, where he again fought very hard, and killed
great numbers as they attempted to ascend ; but,
our troops being so numerous, he was obliged to
fly, four of his bravest officers being killed, and a
great number of his men cut off. Our troops
were now so thoroughly wearied, that it was im-
possible for us to follow much farmer ; and
Subegadis himself was so worn out with fatigue,
that he was obliged to drop his shield to one of
the Ras's soldiers, who was within ten yards
of him, and the latter was so tired that he could
pursue no farther.
The rocks were indeed so very steep that, in
order to descend them, we were obliged at times
to go upon our hands and feet, and to creep
down backwards ; which enabled Subegadis, with
I PURSUIT OF THE REBELS. 67
his brothers and a number of soldiera^ to escape^
and take refuge near the sea-coast^ in the country
of the Taltals or Bedouins. The Ras^ being very
amdous to follow^ we kept descending until
evening, when we stopped, not more than half-
way down the mountain, for the night. There
the Ras took up his quarters between two large
pieces of rock : while I and Mr. Coffin slept with
his guards, lying round him in a circle.
In the morning, we again began to descend, the
Ras being obliged to go on foot, as well as
ourselves, until we reached the wilderness; below
which we pursued the tired rebels until night.
Some of the Fit-aurari's soldiers killed a few,
who were wearied almost to death, and took two
h\mdred head of cattle, which they killed and left
behind, being too tired to drive them forwards.
We stopped in this barakei, or wilderness,
until the next morning, and then began to return,
the soldiers being greatly exhausted and in want
of water. On our return, I and Mr. Coffin, with
about four hundred of the Ras's soldiers, lost
tiie Ras in the woody desert, when in search of
water, and during the night were encamped
oy ourselves, almost starved, and crying out
" No bread, no water. ^' Next day, we fell in
with about six hundred of the Ras's soldiers,
wboj upon seeing us, at first thought they had
68 RETURN TO THE CAMP.
found the Ras^ who had been lost all night as
well as ourselves ; we searched all day for hun,
but to no purpose^ and the next day determmed to
go to the camp^ where the baggage and our pro-
visions were left. We reached on the following
day. Upon seeing us come towards the camp,
they of course thought the Ras could not be far
off^ as they did not know where he was any more
than we. After refreshing ourselves with a little
maize and berenter^ we built a gqja*^ and slept
comfortably until next morning. Our tent came
up next day^ and while we were pitching it we
heard that the Ras had fallen in with a great
number of the rebels' cattle, which he had taken,
and was encamped on a moimtain not far dff:
upon which, we saddled our mules, and started
immediately, leaving our horses and baggage to
follow, and, in about three hours reached the
Ras's camp upon the mountain, where we foimd
that he had got a large gqja built, and meant to
stay some time. He talked with me and Mr.
Coffin some time, and asked us how we came
to lose ourselves; when, after stating to him
how it had happened^ he seemed satisfied and
laughed heartily.
We stopped three days upon this mountain,
* The name of tents built with boughs.
DEVASTATIONS OF THE TKOOPS. 69
where we lived pretty well, there bdng plenty of
com in a village at the top, belonging to the
rebels, and having maize* brought from the main
camp. We marched hence to Ardergahso, where
we joined the main army, which had recdved
orders to meet us there. Having burnt the town
of the above name", we stopped two days, and
then marched to the plain of Ardergahso; where
the com was ready to cut, which it took us five
days to destroy. We marched thence to the
river Munnai, the finest country in that part of
Abyssinia for corn and cattle, where we stopped
a week to destroy every thing. Here is the
famous church. Kudus Michael, the neighbourhood
of which is remarkable for a kind of red cabbage,
called hamley gannet, or the cabbage of paradise.
Thence we proceeded to Deverer Martior, a
country belonging to the Tigr^ Mureman Woldi
Samuel. The road over the mountain this day
^^as so bad, that we lost a great number of asses
and mules ; and a few men and women, who were
obliged to give way in the throng, fell over the
precipices and were dashed to pieces.
We next marched to Kerserou, on our return
to Enderta, and then to Ardat, and encamped
* Maize is a good beverage made of honey and ttudder. In the
^aric it is called ttug. Berenter is a common loaf, baked upon
^ coaI&» with a hot stone in the middle of it.
70 PREPARATIONS AGAINST GUXO.
about two miles from the spot where we had been
formerly stationed on our advance from Erdereh,
on account of the dead carcases of asses left behind.
We stopped here till the 30th of October; the
camp being very unhealthy, and I myself so very
ill that the Ras thought it best to send me home
to Chelicut. Mr. Coffin accompanied me, and we
arrived there on the 8th of November.
November 11th. The drum was beat, and
orders were issued in the market-place of Antalo
to cut all trees and bushes in every direction,
on the road to the Amhara, for the Ras to pass
to war with Guxo, upon hearing which Mr. CofiSn
started the next day to join the Ras. .
Guxo, we were informed, had forced the king
Itsa Guarlu to call him Ras, and to deliver up his
wife, whom he took to himself; he likewise sent
a messenger to the Ras, but nobody knew with
what intent, as the Ras kept the communication
to himself. The drum was again beat on the
following Wednesday, to prepare for war against
the new Ras, Woldi Michael, or Guxo — ^Woldi
Michael being his christian name — ^who had deter-
mined to besiege Samen, and advance to Tigr^,
the Tigr^ rebels forming his Fit-aurari, or van
army.
November 29th. The Ras arrived at Antalo,
and gave orders to his people to be ready on the
SPIRITED MESSAGE FROM THE RAS. 71
foUowiug Tuesday ; but news being brought the
next day^ that the former report was untrue, and
that Guxo had not yet started from Gondar,
having merely sent his head general, Ackly
Marro, to war against Ras Guebra, of Samen,
the Ras thought it useless to march in person,
but sent some trusty chiefs to join Ras Guebra,
delaying his own expedition till Guxo should
appear himself in the field.
Ras Welled Selass^ had previously sent four
messengers to Guxo, to inform him that it was
seither he nor his father before him that could
conquer Tigr^, and therefore recommended him
not to give himself the trouble of crossing the
Tacazz^, but to send him word, by the first
messenger, on what plain he would like best to
meet him, adding that, as Guxo had a great body
of horse, a large plain would probably suit him
best. The second messenger he directed to bring
him word of his first day's march ; the third of
his second ; and the fourth of his third. Orders
were then given, in every part of the country, to
clothe their servants, feed their horses and mules,
and prepare for war against the return of the
messengers.
December 6th. Ito Woldi Raphael, the son
of Ito Sevato, younger brother to Ras Welled
Selassd, together with the chief' of the Bora,
72 DEFEAT OF OUXO's TROOPS.
Safarling Guebra Abba, and Ito Woldi Samuel
of Salora, marched to the frontiers of Guxo's
dommions, and there encamped till the return of
the Ras's messengers.
The messengers returned with a conciliatory
answer^ but, in the mean time, Waxum* Comfii
of the Argare Lasta haying marched with his
army, by the Ras's orders, to Guido, a country
in Guxo's dominions, was attacked by an army of
about five thousand of Guxo's horse, whom he
defeated in the plain of Ardisart, compoionly
called Ferasenaiyer Medah, or horseman's plain,
after which he burnt all their towns and villages,
and brought off what cattle he could find, amount-
ing to five thousand bullocks, and a great number
of horseff, mules, sheep, and goats : with these
came a great number of prisoners, chiefly villagers,
who did not carry arms, and who reported that
a great number of men were killed by Waxum
Comfu's musketry, there not being one musket
with this detachment of Guxo's army.
This news, brought to the Has on the 19th of
December, at Antklo, gave him great joy. Guxo
had formerly been on terms of great friendship
with the Gusmarsh Gudlu, of Walkayt; after
the death of the latter, Walkayt was governed by
* Waxum is an ancient title of the Chiefs.
THE GUSMARSH SALADA. 73
his son^ the Gusmarsh Salada^ a man who is
reckoned to be the strongest person in Abyssinia ;
and it is reported, that when he was in an ill
humour with his horse, he could, with one blow
upon the head, kill the animal. I have been told
that he has often done this when dissatisfied with
his horse^s temper, but I never saw it, although
I was a particular friend of his, when he was
with the Ras Welled Selass^, in 1808. He was
about six feet high, and the stoutest man I ever
saw. This country was afterwards taken from
him by his Blitingatore, Woldi Comfii, who took
upon himself his master's title of Gusmarsh, and
governed all Walkayt; while the Gusmarsh
Salada was obliged to fly to the Ras and others
for support. Ito Woldi Gabriel, who had a
great district in Walkaji;, under Salada, also
fled to Guxo, with whom he got so much in
favour, that he gave him his daughter, and sent
an army with him, from Gondar, to reduce
Walkayt.
The army was first put under command of
Woldi Gabriel, two-thirds of which were Galla,
as most of Guxo's horsemen are, he himself,
indeed, being a Galla born. Before this army
left Gondar, Guxo gave his son-in-law the
title of Gusmarsh of all Walkayt, front the
borders of the Shangalla to the Tacazz^.
VOL. I. K
74 DEATH OF WOLDI GABRIEL.
In December, 1810, Woldi Gabriel advanced to
the borders of Walkayt, where he was met by
Woldi Comfu*8 troops, commanded by his bro-
ther, on the plain of Assader ; when a very hard
battle was fought, which ended in the death of
the Gusmarsh Woldi Gabriel, Guxo's son-in-law,
and with the loss of fifteen hundred Galla horse-
men; the remainder returned to Gondar. This
battle lessened Guxo's pride, Woldi Comfa
having sent him word, that though he was only
a friend and servant of the Ras, yet even he did
not think it worth his while to meet the army
sent by Guxo, because he did not head it himself.
This intelligence greatly satisfied Ras Welled
Selass^.
December 26th. News was spread i^ Antalo
by the Shoa cqfia, that some strange white man
was advancing from Shoa to Tigr^, and, as I had
formerly received a letter from the Company's
agent at Mocha, concerning Mr. Mungo Park,
who entered Africa to the westward, I was led to
believe that the traveller might prove to be
that gentleman; for which reason, I asked the
Ras for permission to go in search of him. This
he at first granted, but, news being brought
that Gojee and Liban had fought and that the
latter was defeated, I was not allowed to go;
as the Ras told me there was no other road
gojee's barbarity. 75
through their Gountry, excepting that which joined
to Wosen Segued's of Efat, and Gojee being at
variance with Tigr^ no cofla^ or individual, would
be able to travel without being murdered by
him, if it proved true that he had conquered
Liban.
In February, 1809, Gojee had taken the usual
barbarous trophies from all the Tigr^ coflm^ and
had plundered them of their property, slaves, &c.
to revenge himself for the blood shed by Tigr^
in I8O7 ; and, to provoke Ras Welled Selass^,
he had chosen out twelve of the Ant&lo people, on
account of that place being the Ras's residence,
and took the eyes out of eleven of them ; from the
twelfth he took out only one eye, and then, tying
them in a string together, left the man with one
eye to conduct the others to their camp, where
nearly all died. This is a trifling instance of
Gojee's barbarity, of which I have heard exam-
ples too horrid to relate.
January 14th, 181 L The Ras's messenger re-
turned from the Gusmarsh Liban, who said the
news that Gojee's messenger reported was not
true, as Liban had never had any engagement at
^ with Gojee; though, after plundering his^
country and returning to his own, Gojee had
followed him, and cut off some horse, and taken
Liban's tent, which was a long way in the
b2
70 SUBMISSION OF GUiSBRA GURO.
rear of the army, that chief never suspecting
he would dare to follow him. On the arrival
of this news, I had some hopes of fulfilling my
intention of going to Shoa.
January 20th. Guebra Guro came in, as he
had done formerly, to the Ras, with one of his
rebel brothers, with stones upon their necks;
when they were forgiven as before. But the Ras
refused to receive Subegadis, who wished also to
have made it up ; but, having the blood of so
many chiefs upon him, ^^ How is it possible,'*
said the Ras, ^^ for him to remain about me in
safety, even if I were to forgive him V
February Ist. The Ras came to Chelicut,
with an intention of meeting Ras Ilo's brother,
Palambarus Woldi Toclu, but he did not arrive
until the 4th. The same day, a very unpleasant
circumstance occurred to me and Mr. CofiBin. The
old Copti Gorgis*, who, it seems, was dig-
satisfied with the treatment he had received &om
the Company's agent at Mocha, forged a letter in
Arabic, in the name of the governor of Aytb,
near Amphila, on the coast ; addressed to all the
chief-priests, and advising them to be upon their
guard, as the Feringees, or English, were ex-
* Gorgis, an old Copti, the only one remaining of the train of
the Egyptian Abnna.
1
FORGERY OP COPTI OORGIS. 77
pected to land at Amphila, with an intention to
march to the Ras WeUed Selass^'s territories^ and
make war upon the Christians in Abyssinia;
and, if they did not put to death Pearce and
Coffin, who had got acquainted with the roads
throughout the country, it might be of very
serious consequence to them. This letter was
sealed with a false stamp, in the name of the
governor of Ayth. All this being told us by
Gorgis' servant, who had been with him to
Mocha, I went immediately to the Ras and told
him what I had heard, to which he replied, ^^ I
am not surprised at Gorgis, as he once was found
in league with some others, in the time of Gus-
marsh Woldi Gabriel, Ras Michaers son, and
was caught filling a hole with powder under the
sofa I slept upon, for which he was to have been
paid by the Gusmarsh Woldi Gabriel, had it suc-
ceeded ; but it was not God's will it should be
so. I chained Gorgis," he went on to say,
^^ with an intention to punish him, but, at last,
I sent him about his business, as I did not like
to take away his life on my own account, but left
him to the judgment of God." He added, " Do
not be alarmed at such news as this, for no one
shall hurt you while I am living."
February 8th. Palambarus Woldi Toclu begged
the Ras to let him see me fire at a cloth spread
78 REPORTS OF A WHITE TRAVELLER.
upon the mountain above Chelicut^ about three
quarters of a mile distant) with the cannon before
mentioned; and it greatly astonished him when
he saw the shot hit so true.
February 9th. This chief returned to his own
country^ and the Ras^ on his taking leave^ made
him a present of two handsome matchlocks^ and
a velvet deno, a dress made up in the fashicm
of the sheepskin usually worn. It was my inten-
tion to have gone along with him as £ar as Salla-
bella^ his country^ and to try and penetrate thence
to Shoa ; but difficulties were thrown in the way
by the Ras, and I was myself so ill with a sore
throat at the time^ that it could not well have
been attempted.
February 17th. I heard from a friend, who had
just come from^ Wadkayt, that a white man had
arrived there from Tombuctoo by the way of
Ras-el-feel, and I now was happy to think that I
had not gone with the Palambarus, as I had
intended, for the purpose of giving all the assist-
ance in my power to this traveller ; I immediately,
however, sent off a trusty servant, with a letter
directed to Mr. Mungo Park, British traveller in
Africa; begging him, in case of his arrival in Wal-
kayt, to let me know by the bearer, and I would
immediately join him there, and do him all the
service in my power.
1
REPORTS OP A WHITE TRAVELLER. 79
Tht next day^ I heard firom a very respect-
able merchant^ of the Walkayt cqfla^ that, when
he left that district, a white man was ex-
pected there, who had been a prisoner three
years among the ShangaUa, and had been made
to cany wood, water, &c., like a slave; but
who, by good fortune, had at length made his
escape. I took this merchant with me to the Ras,
acquainting him with what had been told me, and
mentioned that I suspected it was my countryman,
in great distress. The good old gentleman im-
mediately sent a messenger to the Gusmati Woldi
Comfu, desiring him, if any white man should
arrive in his country, to clothe him, and feed him
well for some time, and then give him mules,
servants, &c., -and forward him to Antido.
March 4th. My servant came back without the
least intelligence of the traveller, which made me
think that, tiiough it might be true that he had
been seen as near Walkajrt as Ras-el-feel, he had
gone on to Suakin on the coast.
March 8th. A messenger from Guxo came to
the Ras, with offers of conciliation. He was an-
swered by the Ras, that if he would put all the
priests, who had formerly been left at the head of
different Amhara churches by the Abuna, in their
proper stations, and let them follow the religion
they professed, and not make war with his
80 OPERATIONS OF LIBAN.
friends, Ras Ilo and Liban, he would always con-
tinue on amicable terms with him.
March 18th. Liban's messenger arrived at Gibba,
where the Ras was keeping his fast, with intelli-
gence that Liban was within one day's march of
Deverertavor, Guxo's capital, that his Fit-aurari
had fought with Guxo's Fit-aurari, though with-
out gaining any decided advantage, and inviting
the Ras, if he were his friend, to come by Lasta
to his assistance. The Ras did not, however,
think proper to march himself, after the messen-
ger he had sent to Guxo, but detached Waxum
Comfii and Bashaw Wolockedan, with a strong
army to assist Liban, telling him, if he were de-
feated, he would then march himself ; and orders
were given accordingly, throughout the country,
to be in readiness.
March 25th. Intelligence was brought that
Liban's Fit-aurari had beaten Guxo, and driven
him back to his camp, and that Liban had burnt
and destroyed all Daunt, Wadler, and Begemder.
The old Ras was far from pleased on hearing of
his friend's burning Christian churches ; Guxo,
it was said, had not offered to march against
Liban, but had let him advance as near as possi-
ble, that he might not easily make his escape.
The Ras now greatly wished to proceed, but his
chiefs persuaded him to the contrary.
PEARCE AFFRONTED BT THE RAS. 81
On the 29th, the messenger, who was sent by
the Ras to Walkayt, arrived without hearing any
tidings of the white man, which confirmed me
still more in my own opinion, that he had gone
down to Suakin or some other place upon the
coast. The white man seen in Shoa, I afterwards
heard, was a Turkish merchant, who had gone up
thither with goods from Zela.
March 30th. Guebra Guro came to my house
to discourse with me and Mr. Coffin concerning
the usage he had received from the Ras, and told
us, that, if the Ras should go to war with the
Amhara, his brother Subegadis would take pos-
session of all Tigr^ during his absence. Two days
after, I and Mr. Coffin went to the Ras, thinking it
best to acquaint him with Guebra Guro's visit
and inteUigence, for fear of his hearing of the
circumstance from some other quarter. When I
told him what had passed, he flew into a passion,
saying, ^* What business had you in his company?"
and added, "go you with them.'* I told him the
country I belooged to was governed by a king,
and that I would return to it rather than join his
rebels, as he told me ; saying which, I went away,
and immediately afterwards sent to his house the
horse he had given me, and prepared for our de-
parture. Our friend Baharnegash Yasous hap-
pening to be with the Ras at the time, and hearing
E 5
82 PEARCE RECONCILED WITH THE RAS.
what he said, told him that he was in the wrong.
Chellica Comfii also told the Ras that I had
been like a slave to him for nearly six years, and
said, ** How can you be angry with him for having
conunitted no fault?" Others also spoke in my
behalf. The next morning he sent for me, but I
refused to go, until the Baharnegash of Chellica
Comfii came and persuaded me; when I came
before him, he asked me " What was the reason
of my returning my horse?" I told him that ** I
had been better than five years as a slave to him,
and during three wars, and long encampments in
his service, had sometimes been almost as naked
as I was bom, and when no plunder was to be
gained had often nearly died with hunger ; and
that in return for my service^ he had told me to
go and join his rebellious subjects, which I would
never do, though, if he would grant me leave, I
would return to my native country." In answer
he said, ^* I only told you so from being out of
temper with something else, and I am in the wrong,
you have always behaved as you say;" and then
he gave me and Mr. CoflBp a bruit/ of brandy,
and the matter was made up. On the same day,
he gave me the large piece of cultivated land, called
Wogarte, with all arristies, or ploughmen, with
their ploughs and oxen, fifteen in number. The
produce of this land was merely for my cattle and
— — 1
PRESENT FROM THE KING OF 8HOA. 83
servants, and my standing allowance went on as
usual.
April 4th. News was brought, that Liban had
burnt a church belonging toGuxo, called Tuckerlie
Yasous, which enraged Guxo so much, that he
marched himself to the field and drove Liban before
him, burning all the towns and villages in Daunt,
Wadler, and Damot. This news much displeased
the Ras, who determined to march at the latter
end of the month.
April 9th. A present arrived for the Ras, from
Wosen Segued, king of Shoa, of seven very beau-
tiful horses, for his own riding, and three mules,
one of which he had received from the Gusmarsh
Guxo, and which he sent expressly to the Ras, to
shew him that he had more regard for him than
for Guxo ; tiiere were also six young boys and six
young girls, slaves, who accompanied the present,
which was graciously received.
On the follovring day, he gave me the choice of
one of the six girls for myself, and the rest he
presented to his women. With these presents
came a pair of red leather shoes, for the Ras,
from the king of Shoa, which is considered as a
token of great affection.
Although the Ras had determined to march
upon the 29th of this month, yet, attempting to
start, the priests came from all parts of the coun-
84 DEFEAT AND DEATH OF SHUM WOLDI.
try, and assembled before him at Antklo, assuring
him that it was not a season for war, and that
he must not go until the rwns were over in Sep-
tember, which grieved him very much, as Guxo
had totally defeated Liban, and taken Barbar his
capital. Liban fled across the river Bashilo,
which often begins about the latter end of May
to overflow, on account of the early rains, in
Wochale, where he remained safe from Guxo,
expecting that the Ras would march to his as-
sistance.
April 30th. A very hard battle was fought
by Baharnegash Subhart and Kantiva Sasinas,
against Shum Woldi, of Zervan Bure, and the
sons of Kantiva Amon, of Arli and Fellou.
Shum Woldi was killed by a soldier belonging
to Sasinas ; although Shxaa Woldi was a very old
man, he killed three with his spear before he fell,
one of whom was brother to Sasinas. After he
had fallen, and Sasinas was told the news, he
rode up to the old man and cut his throat, which
greatly disgraced him, as every one was of opi-
nion that it proved him a coward. Fifteen chiefs
were killed upon Shum Woldi's side, with seventy
men ; and on Baharnegash Subhart's side, three
chiefs and twenty-four soldiers. The Ras was
much grieved at this affair, but, as he had given
them leave to fight it out, he could say nothing
DEATH OF NEBRID. 85
to either party. This disturbance made the road
down to Massowa very unsafe for some time;
the relations of Shum Woldi^ together with his
son^ having raised about seventy thousand men
more than before, only waited for the Ras's per-
mission to be fevenged upon the others for the
barbarity of Sasinas. Nebrid, who left Tigr^ as
a rebel, died in Wadler, on his return with
Guxo's army from the country of Liban to
Gondar, and was buried in the church of Abba-
garva, April 1811. There was great crying for
him throughout all Tigr^ ; the Ras himself joined
in the ceremony for two days, and gave one hun-
dred pieces of cloth, equal to one hundred dollars,
to the priests of the Trinity Church, at Chelicut,
and one hundred to the priests of Axum; offering
up some prayers for the deceased, which they
call fettart. These priests always get well paid
when any great man dies, and from the poor they
get part of what property they may leave behind ;
on which account I really believe that they often
pray for people to die.
May 4th. I and Mr. Coffin went to the Ras, to
inform him that we were continually threatened
by some of his head-priests, and that we hoped
he would allow us to go back to our own country.
This was liot done through fear of what they
could do to us, but to see if it were possible to
86 SUBEGADIS SURPRISES TUSFU MARIAM.
get some of them turned out of their places^ but
it was to no purpose. He said, "You cannot go
at present, but no one shall hurt you while I am
alive. The two guns your king sent make all
my enemies fear me, both upon the plains and
upon the Ainbas ; and, if I were to let you go,
who would know how to use them V*
May 6th. The country of Agame, belonging
to Subegadis, was given to his brother Sardie,
whom he had so long confined, . but who fortu-
nately made his escape ' by bribing the man to
whom he was chained.
May 12th. Subegadis came into the camp
of Salafe Tusfu Mariam by night. He was one
of the Ras's chiefs, sent through the different
settlements as far as Degan to gather in the
Ras's yearly income, and, upon his return through
the country of Agam^, under the mountaui of
Ambaarra, belonging to Subegadis, he sent away
a great many t)f his men, with the Ras's money;
upon which Subegadis, seeing that he had but
a small force left, came upon him in the night,
and made a great slaughter, Tusfu Mariam him-
self being also killed, which grieved the Ras very
much, although he blamed him for his miscon-
duct.
May 29th. Guxo arrived in Deverertavor, after
driving Liban one day's march beyond the Ba-
OVERTURES FROM GUXO. 87
shilo, and gave his country to his own chiefs,
Anderwar Siddisto and Buro Gala, who command
a very large body of cavafary, and are chiefs of
considerable importance. Gnxo is supposed at
this time to have more power than ever Itsa
Tecla Gorgis possessed, and, on this occasion, he
took with him to the field twenty-eight thousand
horse^ besides his foot, and a few matchlocks ;
yet, though his army was so numerous, he was
always in dread of Ras Welled Selass^'s mus-
ketry, and at this time, sent his chief priest Alli-
car Redan, and his Balermal, Ito Coularlit, to
the Ras, to intreat him to be friends with him,
and make it up. The Ras refused his request,
and said^ that if he did not release the Gusmarsh
Christy Zonde, and the Cannasmash Wardic, of
Gojam and Damot, and give them back their
country, he would', when the rains in September
were over, let him know who Ras Welled Selass^
was.
In the middle of June, Liban found an oppor-
tunity of crossing the Bashilo without much loss,
and, returning to his own country, fought with
Guxo*8 two generals, and, after great slaughter,
took Anderwar Siddisto prisoner, and drove Buro
Gala to a high and strong mountain, called Cugso
Amba. Guxo could not venture to march to
their assistance, as Hilier Mariam, Ras Guebra's
88 NEGOCIATION WITH GUXO.
son, had burned and destroyed all Wogara, and
advanced to within a short day's march of Gon-
dar. Ras Welled Selass^'s subjects, not being
willing to go to war with the Amhara, as the
locust appeared in all parts of Tigre in the month
of July, the campaign was deferred, and Liban
and all Guxo's enemies seeing this, were glad to
make terms with Guxo, and to be friends, though
more from fear than any motives of good-will.
. In the latter end of July, Guxo sent two of his
chief secretaries to the Ras, declaring that he
would agree to any thing he proposed, except the
release of Christy Zonde and the Cannasmash
Wardic, who, were they once set free, would
soon overthrow his country. With this the Ras
appeared satisfied, and sent ivith the messengers
Dofter Aster, one of the most learned men in the
' country, to agree about the expence of bringing
the Abuna into the country ; but Guxo said, that
he would not agree to any thing of that kind
until he should know the truth of the Ras's heart,
because, if the Abuna were to come from Egypt,
it would be the occasion of Ras Welled Selass^'s
accompanying him to Gondar.
August 18th. Guebra Guro was chained by
the Ras's orders and sent to Alajjay, a very strong
mountain in Wojjerat, where all chiefs who had
offended were confined, in general for life before
CLEMENCY OF THE RAS. 80
• the Ras's time; but he, being the most merciful
I governor ever known in Abyssinia, never keeps
f even the greatest of his enemies long in confine-
ment, and never puts them to death except for
murder ; while his predecessors have been known
to bum alive or cut oflf the limbs of those who
have fallen under their displeasure for the
slightest ojSences. Gojee is the most cruel chief
that ever was known, not even excepting Has
Michael, who, though very severe to chiefs under
him, if they disobeyed, yet was always kind to
the poor, and very liberal in giving away his
money, while Ras Welled Selass^, though a man
of the tenderest feelings, is the greatest miser I
believe that ever existed. The poor get nothing
from him but the yearly offerings, which all
Christians, that is to say. Christian chiefs, are
bound to bestow by the laws of their religion ;
nevertheless he is a great favourite with the poor,
as he does them justice when wronged by the
rich or powerful.
September 13th. The Gusmati Ischias and
two of Nebrid Aram's sons, who had been
among the Tigr6 rebels, came from the Amhara,
with stones about their necks, to ask forgiveness,
at MuccuUa, where the Ras was keeping the
yearly holyday. The Ras, upon seeing the Gus-
mati, rose from his sofa, and kissed him, saying.
90 RAVAGES OP THE SMALL-POX.
^' Although it is far from the first time you have
rebelled against me^ yet I forgive you from my^
heart," and immediately gave orders that the
Gusmati Ischias's districts should be returned
to him, while to the sons of Nebrid Aram, Ito
Woldi Michael^ and Ito Melker, he gave half
what they had formerly possessed.
The small-pox at this time committed such
ravages throughout the country, that aU thoughts
of war were abandoned. As the malady increased,
it became more like a plague than the small-pox,
and in a great many towns and villages the people
lost all their children, and numbers of gprown-
up persons, who had not had the disease before,
died also. The only mode by which they sup-
pose the complaint can be alleviated is to keep
themselves from the air as much as possible, and
let nobody see them who has been out of doors,
or in the sunshine ; they also tie up all cocks,
he-cats, and other male animals, that chance to
be about their houses, from the strange notion,
that were they to associate at that time with their
females, it would endanger the lives, or at any
rate increase the sufferings, of those afflicted with
the complaint^. For a similar reason, during all
kinds of sickness, indeed, they will not allow a
* The AbysBinians in general lay their patients afflicted with
small-pox on wood-ashes, or river-sand.
i
RAVAGES OF THE SMALL-POX. 91
Mend to enter the house where the patient lies ;
and they never wash themselves or their.clothing
when ill^ being ihe dirtiest people in the world
at these fimes^ though, when in health, they are
remarkably cleanly in their persons. I used con-
tinually to find fault with them for these super-
stitious and unhealthy practices, but to no
purpose ; though, for the sake of example, when
my own people, eleven in niunber, were afflicted
with the small-pox, I put them all together into a
separate and clean house, and every morning and
evening turned them out into the air, and made
them wash themselves, though much against their
inclinations. This practice brought upon me
continual quarrels with my neighbours, though
nobody dared interfere, as I told them what I did
was for their own benefit, and to prevent their
dying like dogs ; and fortunately it was the will
of God that they all got well in a short time.
At Axum, the mortality among the people was
so great, as to occasion the loss of the cattle
also, there not being a man or boy left in some
families to open their pens and turn them out to
grass. Thirty cows were found dead in one fold.
At Adowa, the ravages of the disease were not so
severe, as a great number of its inhabitants had
previously had the disorder the last time it ap-
peared amongst them ; but all the other places in
92 LOCUSTS.
Amhara, Tigr^^ Enderta, aiid the adjoining dis
tricts, Samen^ Lasta^ Begeinder, Gondar, and
Gojam^ shared the same fate. The locust de-
voured the corn to the east of the Tacazz^*, and
the small-pox carried off the people in all quar-
ters^ so that a great part of the country was left
in a state of complete desolation.
* The locust is never known to get beyond the mountaias
of Samen.
CHAPTER n.
Destruction of the town of Bolento by the Gallar— Government
and manners of the Galla^Mr. Coffin's departure for Mocha
—Present from the King of Shoa to the Ras— The Small-
pox->Death of Ito Yasous, the King's brother, and his sister.
Ozoro Mantwaub, wife of the Ras — ^Affliction of the Ras — Fu-
neral of the Ozoro— Movements of Guxo— The Ras takes to
wife a daughter of the King Itsa Tecla Gorgis— Battle between
two chiefs at AntMo — Submission of Subegadis to the Ras —
Plans of Ras Guebra and Guxo— Locusts — Famine— Itsa Bede
Mariam, formerly king, visits Antilo— Insecurity of property
— Reigning kings of Abyssinia — ^The Ras assembles his army
—Defeat of Hilier Mariam by the Tigr6 army— Presents to
messengers of good tidings — ^Insurrection of Subegadi»— Re-
lease of Guebra Gurb.
Sbptembbr 17th. The Ras reviewed his troops
at Antklo. November 12th, he arrived at Cheli-
cut from Mycculla, and the next day marched
for Bolento, the frontier of the Galla, where we
arrived in three days, and to our surprise found
it totaUy in ruins, although, when I saw it, four
years ago, it was the strongest place of defence
in all Abyssinia. Welled Shabo, king of the
Assubo pagan Galla, had come with his army in
the night, and succeeded in getting into the town,
by a small breach in the wall, which had fallen
down during the heavy rains. In storming the
fhte, the Galla killed three hundred and seventy*
94 DESTRUCTION OF BOLENTO.
five people, and drove, it is said, upwards of two
thousand men, women, and children, over its
walls, where many were dashed to pieces. There
is not a place, I believe, round all the mountain
of Bolento, less than thirty yards steep, except
where the Galla found means to enter, the rest of
the wall being in good repair, the front gateway
having double walls, and within it flat-topped
houses, upon which the people got to defend the
gate, when attacked by an enemy. On the tops
of the houses was a wall parapet about three feet
thick, with holes made in it for firing matchlocks
through, which no Galla will ever face. The
Ras stopped until he had repaired the wall^ and
was visited continually by the different Galla
chiefs in the neighbourhood, who brought him,
as presents, sangcis and other cattle, and he in
return gave them clothes and silver ornaments
for their arms and heads*
From the mountain of Bolento you can see the
Galla walking in the capital of Assubo. You
can also see Carra, another large town, at a great
distance. Assubo, Carra, and Hiyer, are the three
largest towns of the Assubo Galla. I was in
Hiyer, on our return from Edjow, in 1807> when
we stopped three days ; our camp was at some
distance, but the Ras received an invitation from
Welled Shabo to see the town, and I went with
THB ASSUBO OALLA. 96
liim. Like most of the towus in Abyssinia, it
has no walls, but stands in the plain, whereas
ihe Abyssinians in general build upon heights.
WeUed Shabo is still alive, and often comes to
see the Ras, though he is no longer king. The
Assubo Galla elect their king for seven years
(Hily, which office is confined to the offspring
of an ancient family. Kecty was the father of
Shabo, and, after Kecty had been king seven
years, his brother Bolento was made king, from
whom the moimtain of Bolento took its name,
as he first fortified the place ; but it was after-
wards taken from him by the Christians. After
Bolento came Shabo; Welled Shabo Combally,
brother to Shabo, was the next king, but, dying
a short time before his time was out, his
son, Welled Combally, the present king, was
ekcted.
I saw Shabo and his son, with several other
principal Galla, sitting down to feast upon a
be fat sanga. As soon as the animal was killed,
the blood was caught hot in horns, the first being
given to Shabo, the second to his son, and so
OQ in rotation as long as it lasted, and they
wemed to relish it as much as my own country-
men would a draught of porter or wine. Although
^ey in general drink the blood, they always
broil the meat a little, and upbraid the Christians
96 DEPARTURE OF COFFIN FOR MOCHA.
for eating it raw, like dogs. They have no
regular wives^ except siich as belong to the
family of their kings, who always take a relative
to wife. They may have as many concubines
as they please, but the children by the latter
cannot be elected kings, or succeed to any of
their father's property. All others do as they
think proper, and relationship forms no objection
where they take a liking.
December 25th. The Ras returned to Bet-
mariah, in Wojjerat, where we kept our Christ-
mas-day, and on the 27th proceeded to Gurref
Deddeck.
January 1st, 1812. We went to Antalo, where
the Ras reviewed his Enderta, Wojjerat, Temben,
and Giralta troops.
On the 14th, Mr. Cofl&n took leave of the Ras
at Antalo, and on the 16th left Chelicut for
Mocha. The Ras would not let him go, before
he had made me swear to be bound for his
returning in the space of three months. He
gave Mr. Cofl&n, for himself, fifty pieces of com-
mon cloth, two fine cloths for his own dress,
and a fine gersillah* skin dress, the latter worth
two wakeahs of gold. He also gave him thirty
wakeahs of gold, to deliver to Captain Rud-
* The gersiUah is a fine black animal of the leopard kind.
ITO TASOUS AND OZORO MANTWAUB. 97
land; and I likewise sent by him^ as a present
to Captain Rudland^ a tame lion^ wliich I had
taught to follow me like a dog, and two civet-cats.
January 24th. Messengers from Wosen Sq^ued,
king of Shoa, arrived with a present of ten horses,
two mules, and twelve slaves, to the Ras, which
present was kindly accepted, as at other times,
with an inclination of the head. The small-
pox still raged like a plague throughout the
country.
February 18th. Ito Yasous died of this malady,
and his sister Ozoro Mantwaub on the 16th; they
were brother and sister to the present king, Itsa
Guarlu, now in Gondar, who is lineally descended
from the late king, Itsa Ischias, who was de-
throned by (juxo. Ito Yasous was an intimate
acquaintance of Mr. Salt's. The Ozoro's death
grieved every one who knew her, as she was
one of the most charitable persons in Abyssinia,
and was the favourite wife of the Ras, who sat
close by her when she died. As she breathed
her last, he drew his shuttle, or knife, to stab
himself, but I caught hold of his arm and took
it away, and with the help of some slaves pre-
vented him from committing so dreadful an act.
He lay afterwards for some time senseless on the
ground, but, at last, when water was thrown
upon him, he came to himself, though, for some
VOL.. I. p
98 FUNERAL OF OZORO MANTWAUB.
days, he appeared quite inconsolable^ and ate
nothing, saying continually '^ Is God angry with
mef" A great many of his relations died at
the same time, and throughout the country
nothing was heard but lamentations for their loss.
Ozoro Mantwaub and Ito Yasous were buried at
Chelicut, and a house was built oyer their grave.
The grave was. first dug, and then a large coffin
or trough, made out of the trunk of a large
darro-tree, formerly serving as doors to the
Ras's house, was placed in it*. I myself carried
Ozoro Mantwaub in my arms from the church to
the grave; she was sewed up in a fine white
Indian cloth, and over that was tied the skin upon
which she died : they call it a neet, and it is
formed either of a cow's or goat's hide. The
whole of the people, from the king to the town-
cast, sleep with their bodies bare upon it, though
they have a carpet beneath. Nobody, except her
priest, myself, her women-servants, and the
eunuchs who used to attend upon her, and of
whdm she had a great number, was allowed to
»ee her; but the Ras, from the confidence he
reposed in me, always allowed me to eat with
him and the Ozoro, telling her, at the same time,
* It is a common practice to take doors to make a coffin for
great persons at their death, if they have wooden ones, for, in
general, they are of cane.
MOVEMENTS OF GUXO. 99
I was welcome to visit her at her own meals, and,
if I did not come, she might, if she thought
proper, send for me. This was certainly a great
mark of distinction, as his dearest friend or rela-
tion was not allowed such a liberty*.
Guxo, being alarmed at the prevalence of the
small-pox, fled to Gojam, but, finding it raged in
that country, he went to Mettreah, an island on
the Lake Tzana, where he resided until the dis-
order began to abate. There are several islands
on this lake upon which he has houses, namely
one at Mettreah, where his brother is buried, and
another on Rama, where his mother is interred ;
but his favourite house 'stands upon the small
island Carretta WoUetta. The disorder, how-
ever, having by this time spread from Dembea
to that island, induced him to retire to Mettreah.
As soon as the complaint had subsided, and he
could venture to Gondar, Deverertavor, and
Leuo, he sent his head general, Ackly Marro, to
make war upon Ras Guebra; but Ackly Marro,
finding that Welled Selass^ was previously warned
* It is singular that Mr. Salt was not allowed this favour, as
he expressly states that, owing to the extreme jealousy of the
-Ras in these matters, he never, except once, and then by a
stratagem of the lady's, obtained a sight even of her person.
Perhaps the Ras might consider the rank of Mr. Salt as too
nearly approaching his own to admit of that degree of familiarity
in which he thought an inferior might be safely indulged. — Editor,
F 2
100 OUXO RECONCILED WITH RAS OUEBRA.
of Guxo's intention, and had dispatched five hun-
dred musket-men to Ras Guebra's assistance^
with Shum Temben Aversaw, the eldest son of
Ito Manassey, sent word back to his master
Guxo, that the muskets of Tigr^ were so
numerous that it would be folly to attack Samen,
were he even to march in person ; the country
being so mountainous and so disadvantageous for
cavalry.
At this time, Cannasmash Hilier Mariam, Ras
Guebra's son, bad taken Walkayt, and driven
Woldi Comfu to Waldubba, which made Guxo
wish to come to terms with Ras Guebra. Ac-
cordingly, it was agreed that the king Itsa
Tecla Gorgis should settle the dispute that
had arisen between them. After peace was esta-
blished, Guxo offered his daughter in marriage
to Ras Guebra's son, Hilier Mariam, with the
view of detaching him from the interest of Ras
Welled Selass^ ; who, when he learned the in-
telligence, ordered his troops to return from Ras
Guebra's dominions.
At this time, the Ras, not appearing inclined
for war, spent his time chiefly in going from
Antklo to Chelicut, MuccuUa, &c., for his amuse-
ment. He seemed to have quite forgotten his
favourite Ozoro Mantwaub, as, about this period,
he agreed, though upwards of seventy, to take to
MARRIAGE OF RAS WELLED SELASSlfe. 101
wife Itsa Tecla Gorgis' daughter^ Ozoro Sean;
who accordingly on July 11th arrived with a
great company^ at midnight, at Fellegdarro,
where the Ras had been employed^ during the
month of June^ in building a house for her re-
ception. She was about thirteen years of age,
of a very black complexion, like her father, but
had very pretty features. The marriage was con-
sunmiated the same night } the lady remained at
Fellegdarro until the 3d of August, when he sent
for her to Chelicut, but did not, for some time,
establish her in the house occupied by his late
wife,
August 8th. The Gusmarsh Tuimmerhu, of
Amhara, arrived at Chelicut; he was gover«'
nor of a great district on the banks of the
Bashilo ; but, his subjects rebelling against him,
he fled to the Ras for succour, as neither Liban
nor Gojee was on friendly terms with him,
though his country nearly joined theirs. When
he arrived at Antalo, he presented to the Ras
the horse he rode upon, which was well re-
ceived.
August 29th. The Ras left Chelicut for Muc-
culla, where he kept his new year's day, (Kudus
Yohannis) and he returned to Chelicut on the
14th of September; on the 16th he went to
Antklo to review his troops, according to the
102 FIGHT IN ANtAlO,
yearly custom^ and to place and replace his chiefs
as he thought proper.
September 17th. Palambanis Guebra Amlac^
who rebelled with Nebrid Aram, came firom
Guxo's army with a stone upon his neck, was
foi^ven, and had part of his district returned to
him.
September 24th. Safarling Guebra Abba
quarrelled with Ito Ilo, in the market-place
of Antalo, and brought on a battle in which
Guebra Abba had thirty-four men, and his mule
under him, killed outright, and his two sons and
several men wounded. Ilo, being a son of
Balgadder Woldi Hannes, a near relation to the
Ras, was assisted by all Enderta, who together
overpowered Guebra Abba, although the latter
never quitted his- ground. Ilo had five men
killed and was himself wounded. The Ras was
very much concerned at this rencounter, and
several times sent orders to the combatants to
desist and he would render justice to both sides^
but to no purpose, until night parted them.
Guebra Abba was one of the hardest^^fighting
chiefs the Ras ever had, and always kept the
Hazorta Galla from intruding on the districts
which he commanded, and which adjoined theirs*
Indeed, he would have beaten all Enderta, had
the dispute not happened in the town, where the
SUBMISSION OF SUBE6ADIS. 103
latter could get shelter behind walls and houses^
The Ras was very sorry that Guebra was over-
powered^ for he had ever been a faithful servant
to him, and he took from all those who came to
He's assistance half their districts, which he
gave to Guebra Abba as a recompeoce. I
told the Ras that this practice would not' do in
our country, for such quarrels would be deemed
rebellion, and every one concerned in such an
outrage woidd be put to death by the king's
troops. Ito Middin, a great favourite with the
Ras, was the chief assistant to Ho; and was
proved to have shot five men himself belonging
to Guebra Abba, for which Guebra Abba de-
manded justice, according to their book of laws,
which is kept in all their head churches ; upon
which Middin took sanctuary in the Ras's church
at Chelicut.
October 13th. Ito Subegadis, the greatest
rebel in Abyssinia, came to the Ras, with a stone
upon his neck, and, although the Ras had for-
merly refused to receive him, yet, on seeing him
personally, he forgave him. His brother Guebra
Guro was still closely imprisoned in chains, and
Subegadis thought, that, by submitting to the
Ras, he should very likely obtain the release of
his brother from confinement, but the Ras kept
him close up on Alajjay* About this time, two of
104 TREACHERY OF RAS OUEBRA.
Guebra Guro^s servants were caught buying'
charms^ to loosen the irons from their master's
hands and legs^ from an old M ahomedan fakir*,
and were ordered by the Ras to be barbarously
flogged three times round the market-place of
Antklo; but the Mahomedan he only called ^
superstitious old fool^ and sent him about his
business.
November 1st. Three Balermals, people of
great distinction, arrived from Ras Guebra^ to
inform the Ras that Guxo was upon his march
to Inchetkaub^ his capital^ and was encamped at
Mariam Wor ; telling the Ras, at the same time,
that their master had no other friend upon whom
he coidd rely for assistance against his enemies ;
and praying that he would march, as soon as
possible, by way of Lasta and Begemder, and
throw himself in the rear of Guxo's army. The
Ras, on hearing this proposal, suspected Ras
Guebra of treachery, and insisted therefore, in
his reply, on going through Samen j which made
Ras Guebra send again, spying that Guxo and he
had settled all their disputes. A few days after
Guxo's head secretary came, in the name of his
master ; and, bowing at the Ras's feet, said that
♦ Many, both Mahomedans and Christians, get their Kving
by writing charms.
TREACHERY OP RAS GUEBRA. 105
he had never given the least offence to Ras
Guefora, or any other ally of hib 3 nor had he
marched from Gondar to Mariam Wor, as Ras
Guebra had reported, and that one day or other
he would know all.
In fact, he soon did become acquainted with
the real state of things ; for, a short time after-
wards, a favourite priest of Guxo's came over,
and disclosed to the Ras the whole affair ; when
it appeared that, notwithstanding the kind treat-
ment Ras Guebra had always received from Ras
Welled Selass^, who had three times forgiven
his rebellions practices, he still persisted in his
treacherous conduct. On this occasion, it seems,
he and Guxo had agreed that Ras Welled Selass^
should be persuaded to march, round by Lasta
and Begemder, against Guxo; and that, after
passing through Lasta, Ras Guebra, and his son
Cannasmash Hilier Mariam, who had got com-
plete possession of Walkayt, should both go
down to Tigr^, and endeavour to seduce the
remainder of the army left to guard that country;
a scheme in which Ras Guebra hoped to succeed,
from having, for some time previously, made
alliance through marriages with many chiefs of
Tigr6, even with the consent of the Ras, who had
never suspected his treachery. After these
several plots had been accomplished, the united
F 6
106 ALLIANCE BETWEEN GUXO AND GUEBRA.
forces were to march in the rear of the Ras*s
army, while Guxo was to retreat to the plains of
Gojam, where they hoped, if the Ras followed,
to be able to snrround him. It was npon this
agreement being sworn to by Guxo and Ras
Guebra, that the former had sent his daughter
to the Cannasmash Hilier Mariam, who was also
bound by oath to be true to the league. With
his daughter Guxo sent fifty horses and fifty
mules, one thousand homed cattle, cows and
bulls, fifty matchlocks, twenty-five Persian car-
pets, fifty slaves, fifty free female servants, with
silver merdah (necklaces,) fifty swords, and five
hundred wakeahs of gold, as the dowry of his
daughter, to his new son-in-law.
Ras Guebra, to complete his plan, without any
just cause, put in chains some of his own chiefs,
for the purpose of raising money to make presents,
and to bribe the chiefs of Tigre and the army,
who were to be left by the Ras. Amongst others,
he confined the head captain of his door, or gate-
keeper, Ito Guebra Mariam, and took from him
five hundred wakeahs of gold 5 a like sum from
his Blitingatore Gabriott, and from several others.
Bashaw Abdalla, who had been there three years
chained with his sons, was stripped of every
farthing of his property, and was still kept in
confinement. These persons^ so inhumanly treated^
FRUITLESS INTERCESSION OF OUXO. 107
sent messengers to Guxo, to tell him that their
master^ his friend^ had for no cause whatever
chained them and taken their property; and
Guxo^ knowing them to be always faithful ser-
vants to Ras Guebra, sent one of his chief Baler-
mals to beg of Ras Guebra to pardon them ; as,
if they had even been guilty of a small fault, he
ought to think of their former services. The
latter returned for answer, by one of his Baler-
mals, that they had been convicted of having
continually sent messengers backward and for-
ward to Has Welled Selass^, and that they were
enemies both to himself and Guxo; adding,
^^ For this reason I will keep them in chains
as long as they live/' The same chiefs had
recourse to the Ras for his interference ; but Ras
Guebra returned the same kind of answ^ to his
messenger as he did to Guxo's, saying, they
had been proved to have sent messengers to
Guxo, and were enemies both of the Ras and
himself.
On Guxo's finding that the Ras had become
acquainted with the whole of their plot, and that
consequently he did not intend to march, he sent
word to Ras Ilo of Lasta, desiring him to cut
all trees and bushes, and to make a clear road for
him, as he intended to march through Lasta to
Edjow, his father's country. Ras Ilo told him
108 GUXO'S MESSAGE TO THE RAS.
that if he had any servants in Lasta they might
clear the road for him, if not, to come and do
it himself; which sharp rehuke did not much
please him.
Soon after, Guxo's messenger to the Ras
arrived at Chelicut, hegging him not to be offended
if he took possession of Edjow, as it belonged to
him by inheritance from Gongula, Ras Alii, and
Alligaz; and saying that, although Gojee was
Ras Alligaz's own son, and he only Ras AUi's
sister's son, still he thought he had most right to
the country, he being a Christian, as well as his
father and grandfather, and Gojee only a Mussul-
man, like the great-grandfather Gongula. The
Ras said he would not agree to any such attempt,
as Lasta, How, and Edjow, were his allies ; and
ended by declaring that, if he offered to march to
either of them, he would immediately attack him,
and assist them, and for ever put an end to his
power. The warmth with which the Ras took up
this affair had the desired effect, and kept Guxo
at home.
The locust this year committed great ravages,
aud a considerable part of the country was
covered with them, so as to produce a partial
famine, especially in Ammerseem, where several
thousands died with hunger; fifty pieces of
salt, equal at the time to one dollar and a
ITSA BEDE MARIAM. 109
half, being given for one incur, which is about
one English quart, of barley. Other districts
were not quite so much distressed, as, for that
price^ you could buy one bushel in Enderta, and
in Tigre three karoos, equal to three pecks, for
one dollar ; whereas, before the locust appeared,
nine gibbertas, or bushels, might be bought for a
dollar in the market of Adowa.
^ The Ras kept his Christmas at Chelicut, and, on
the 3rd of January, 1813, went to Antido. On
his road he mounted his favourite horse Bulla^and
rode to the plain of Bellesart, where he brought
his horsemen to a sham fight } the old gentleman
firing and loading again, at full gallop, with
English pistols, as well as I or Mr. Coffin could
do ; for, although upwards of seventy years of
age^ he rides as lightly and as carelessly as any
young man in the country.
January 20th. Itsa Bede Mariam, formerly
king, arrived at Ant^lo, to beg of the Ras to
forgive every thing that had happened, on the
part of Ras Guebra, as the latter acknowledged
he had done wrong. Itsa Bede was put upon
the throne, by the Degusmati Gabriel, Ras
MichaeFs son) the latter being killed by Ras
Alii of Edjow, Bede Mariam was dethroned by
him, after being king only seven months, since
which time he remained ivith Ras Guebra, and
110 INSECURITY OF PKOPEKTY.
sometimes with Ras Welled Selass^^ but^ being a
Roman Catholic, he agrees best.with Has Guebra^
who is a follower of that religion. The Ras
would not listen to. his propositions, but said that
if Ras Guebra would not withdraw his son from
Walkay t, and deliver up the whole of the country
belonging to Woldi Comfu, he would prove a
worse enemy to him than ever he had been
before.
January 29th. Bede Mariam left Antklo, taking
with him a great many Amhara, who Mdshed to
return to Gondar, their native town, having been
a long time in Tigr6 without hearing of their
children and friends. The people of Tigr^ are
better treated by their governors than the Am-
hara; a poor man among the former can get
some justice done him when wronged, but in
Amhara or Gondar he dares not even wear a good
cloth on his back for fear of being stripped by
Guxo's and Ackly Marro's soldiers. A poor
old faithful Amhara, who had been servant to
Mr. Coffin for three years, said he wanted to go
to Gondar to see his two sons and a daughter,
whom he had left nine years before. Mr. Coffin
gave him leave to depart, but wished him to buy
a new cloth previously, that he might appear
decent when he arrived at his native place ; but
he replied, the rags would suit him best 3 ^* for,".
KINGS IN ABYSSINIA. Ill
he added^ ^^ if I have a new cloth on^ some of
Guxo^s GaUa will strip me^ but^ if I have a ragged
one^ they will leave it me, and that will be at
least more decent than to go naked." He then
set out on his journey, equipped as he wished,
and in' twelve days we heard of his arrival with
his children. From Chelicut, he went to Saharte
the first day ; the second he crossed the Tacazz^ ;
the third he reached Sugemet, in Samen; the
fourth Inchetkaub, Ras Guebra's capital; and
the fifth Mariam Wor, and Gondar; thus ac-
comiplishing the journey in five days, although
he was, by his own account, seventy-eight years
of age.
Although it has been a long time expected that
Ras Welled Selass^ would march to Gondar, and
place Tecla Gorgis upon the throne, matters ap-
pear still as backward as ever ; as he is persuaded
to wait for the Abuna from Egypt and take him
with him.
The kings now living in Abyssinia are as fol-
low: Itsa Tecla Gorgis, in Waldubba; Itsa
Ischias, in Gondar ; Itsa Guarlu, on the throne in
that city ; Itsa Yonas, in Gojam ; Itsa Yoas, in
Gondar; Itsa Bede Mariam, in Samen.
They are all related to each other, and, as they
boast, are descended from the true race of Mene-
lect ; but the kings of Abyssinia have so many
112 THE HAS ASSfiMBLfiS HIS ARMY.
wives^ from far and near, that it makes it difficult
to determine to whom the crown should descend;
and this point is generally decided more by might
than by right.
Messengers continually came from Woldi
Comfu; and his brother, Fit-aurari Suddal^ ar-
riving, made the old Ras come at length to a
determination; and accordingly, on the 5th of
February, the drum was beat to assemble the
army, and be in readiness to march against Abba-
garva on the 6th, when we marched from Antalo
to Esta, in Saharte, where the Ras meant to re-
main a few days, until his troops should be all
collected, and then to proceed direct to Gondar^
by way of Samen : but the priests, flocking from
far and near, obliged him to lay aside his inten-
tion and return to Antalo. Soon afterwards, the
drum was again beat, for all Tigr^ to march \mder
the command of Fit-aurari .Guebra Amlac, to
Walkayt, against Hilier Mariam, who had by
this time become very powerful. The chiefs who
went under the Fit-aurari, though higher in
office, were Blitingatore Wosen, and Palambarus
Toclu, the sons of Nebrid Aram, and the chiefs
of Shir^, altogether forming a strong army.
February 20th. News was brought that Kan-
tiva Sasinas and the sons of Baharnegash Subhart
had been beaten by the sons of Shum Woldi of
DEFEAT OF HILIER MARIAM. 113
fellou; who had heen jomed by Arli and a
)werfal district, called Gella Hatchin, one of
le seven Gellas. A great number had been
led on both sides, and the whole country of
)inas and Subhart plundered of its cattle, but
villages were burnt. The Ras immediately
it for the chiefs on both sides, and, as they had
fought without his leave, and appeared equally
colpable, he made both parties pay an equal
quantity of cattle, at the same time accepting
five hundred cows from Arli and his allies, as a
jIM^sent out of their plunder.
March 19th. The joyful news reached the
Has that the Tigr^ army had defeated Hilier
Mariam, and had taken his brother, Ito Batri, and
Asgas Sedit, the chief of Arbarchoho, prisoners,
besides his camp-equipage, his women, and a
great number of horse; leaving four hundred
dead upon the field of battle. Hilier Mariam
kad fought very bravely, but the Tigr^ muskets
put his horse into confusion, which led to a gene-
ral rout.
The Has bestowed valuable presents upon the
messengers : to the first, he gave a horse, spear,
tod shield, with a fine piece of muslin; and to
each of the others a mule. Chellica Comfii, a
friend of mine, had ordered his servant to visit
me with the news; so I also was obliged to part
114 BEARERS OF GOOD NEWS.
with a mule^ it being a regular custom^ all ove^
Abyssinia, to give a handsome reward to tbi|
messerachj or bringer of good tidings, after H^
gaining of a battle, or on any other joyful evenly
such as the birth of a child, &e. On such occa*^
sions, the household servants -of the great xasj^
plague their master until he consents to sen4l
them to his nearest friend, or kindred^ knowing
that they are sure to obtain a mule, a cloth^ oi^
some other article of value 5 shabby treatment 00
such an occasion being considered a mark of
hostility. In like manner, when one chief sen(b
a messenger to another upon any important busi-
ness, if the latter does not present the messenger
with something of value, he is considered as an
enemy.
March 24th. News was brought that Subega-
dis had plundered all his brother Sardie's country,
and had even marched into Arramat; the Has
immediately ordered Giralta, Tserra, x\smo^ «nd
Derra, to unite with Arramat against him. On
the approach of his assailants, Subegadis marched
gradually back to his own district, and they fol-
lowed him to Adergraat, to which place it had
been his object to entice them ; where he gave
them battle, and soon routed them in all direc-
tions, killing and taking a great many prisoners,.
and, among others, some of the Ras's relatives,
RELEASE OF GUEBRA GURO. 115
lOm he would not release^ till the Ras had
om to give him half of Agam^, and release his
ther, Guebra Gnro, from confinement. The
knowing from experience that it would be
Iseless to march against him^ and being aware
lat if he did it would be the means of destroy-
ag the districts- of innocent people who had been
tog suffering from the ravages of the locust, at
fcngth^ after some hesitation, consented; and
Juebra Guro was accordingly released, after
laving remained eighteen months a prisoner,
pfeuring which period he had learned to read the
Psalms of David, though previously he could not
tell one letter from another.
CHAPTER m.
The Ras marches against a Galla Chief — Surprise and Defeat i
the Oallar— Illness of Pearce — ^Justice of the Ras — ^Pearce ^
comes worse — Is visited secretly hy the Ras — Pearce visits 1
Ras's brother, Ito Debbib— Stones with Arabic Inscriptions
Cry for the death of kings Yoas and Yonas — ^Lama — I
Races — Review — Pearce is obliged by his malady to ret
home-^His wife Trlngo-^Administration of the Sacrame
— flis recovery — Murder of the king of Shoa — Sacred Spri
— Grand Review — The Sacred Snake — Military Manoelj
vres — Narrow Escape of Pearce and Coffin.
April 5th. Just as the Ras had arrived at
Chelicut, from Antklo, and was feasting with
many chiefs, news was brought from the villages
of Derger Aggerzeen, the frontiers of the Galla,
that Kecty, a powerful chief of that nation, had
crossed the plain below them on his way to Was-
sermer, for the purpose of cutting oflF the arro, or
salt caravan.
The old Ras, on hearing this intelligence, never
took another mouthful, but, jumping up imme-
diately, called out the word, "CAwrw/'* which
signifies, ^^ Saddle and be ready.'' I and Mr.
Coffin instantly ran home, and were mounted and
out, with some of our soldiers, as soon as the
Ras himself; the rest of our men being absent on
MARCH OF THE RAS. 117
leave. We were soon afterwards joined by some
ef the Ras's soldiers, and we acted the part of
Fit-aurari in this inconsiderable division, riding
on with all speed until sunset, when we stopped,
&at the Ras might have time to come up with us
and give his orders. On his arrival, he directed
OS to go stiU forward, although it was quite dark,
about which time we reached Armunteller; where,
before day-light, a great number of men and
women came to us, with bread, maize, &c. Many
of the Enderta troops had also, by this time,
jomed us, together with Bashaw Dingerze of
Tigr^, who happened to arrive on business, and
who expressed himself greatly concerned at the
imprudence of the Ras, in venturing himself, with
such a handful of men, against the Galla; on
which the old man, looking at me and laughing,
sidd, ** See how frightened these Tigr^ fellows
are at the Galla !" adding contemptuously to
them, ^^ Why, look at Pearce, who went down
throughout Arrata by himself V
After taking a little bread and maize, the day
began to break ; we were then upon the high
moimtain, covered with woods, exactly over
Wassermer ; and the Ras immediately gave orders
for every one to be as silent as possible, and not
attempt to shoot or hunt the deer or game, with
which the place abounds. After this caution, we
118 DEFEAT OF THE GALLA.
began to inarch down the mountain, and, in abon!
half an hour, being clear of the woody part, ad
the sun just rising, we could see the Galla en-
camped below 3 they had also observed us, an^
were soon mounted and at the foot of the moun-
tain, before we could lead our horses down thi
rocks, which we did with great difficulty. Durinj
this time, several of the Ras's foot soldiers hai
descended, and were giving battle to the advanced
foot of the Galla. At length, the cry of Gaverset
Badinsah ! being heard in all quarters, as well af
a. loud volley of musketry, the Galla immediatelj
became sensible of the Ras's presence^ turned
their horses to the plain, and rode off at full
speed : scarcely any of our horses had got down
in time, so that, after a three hours' chase, wc
could not come up with their horse ; but of the
foot very few escaped. We remained at Wasser-
mer until the arro cofla had passed, and the^
after hunting hogs, &c., for two days, returned to
Mucculla.
About this time I became very ill, from a com-
plaint in my head, especially about the forehead;
for many months before I had felt pains in my
eyes and forehead after much fatigue, but I now
became so very unwell, that I was obliged to b^
the Ras to let me go home. He said, that I had
better remain with him, and that I might lie
FATAL QUARREL. 119
quietly in his wife's house^ close to his own,
where he should be able to see me frequently.
To this proposal I consented, and inunediately
cent for a Gojam Dofter, who professed great
skill in medicine and charms. A swelling had by
this time begun on the left side of my face, which
gave me great pain, and the Dofter ordered me to
eat nothing but goat's flesh. On hearing this, the
Ras said, ** Give Pearce every goat that is brought
to me, either as a present or as a gibbri ;*' and,
from this day forward, I received great numbers,
which I always divided with Mr. Coffin.
While I lay sick, a dispute arose at Monsis
between some Christian Zellans, (cowkeepers)
and Taltals, concerning the boundaries of their
grass on the mountain ; in which one of the Taltals
was killed, and the remainder, being subjects of
, the Ras, came with all speed to make their com-
Pplaint. The Ras immediately sent out and had
^ me offenders brought before him, when three
were found guilty of the murder, and speared
immediately by the relations of the deceased, at
the Ras's gateway. This proceeding caused a
great murmur amongst the priests, who said, it
was too much to kill three Christians for one
Mahometan. The old Ras, who was never known
to do any thing barbarous or unbecoming, and
was always a very merciful prince, replied " If I
120 PEARCE S ILLNESS.
had killed a hundred Mahometans for one C]
tian, you would have said Edme heo kar, [Lon
age to you] ; but that is not my law^ for all th
are concerned in murder ought to die."
added, '' You have forgotten' Ras Michael,
whom you dared not have spoken on such ma
ters/'
April 24th- [Baler Mariam] . The Ras marchfl
for Chelicut, and ordered me to be carried on
couch before him, but I begged he would let m
ride> as I could manage very well by being suj
ported on both sides. By the time we reach
Chelicut, the pain I felt became intolerable
and the swelling under the left eye and on tfa
side of my nose became very large. I wished m
attendant, the Dofter, to cut it, but he would not
agree to this ; on which I sent for Mr. Coffin, who
cut it in two places, but without affording me any
relief. Friends and acquaintances from Antilo
and other parts, who had received intelligence
of my malady, began to flock in, but the super-
stitious Dofter would not allow any one to see me,
so that they were obliged to content themselves
with enquiring only at the door. The good old
Ras, in order to conceal his visits to me, used to
set out as if going to the church to prayers, but,
instead of doing so, he climbed over the high
church- wall into my garden, and so entered my
peaece's RECOVIBRT. 121
apartment without being perceived. He did this
at three different times, until I had become eased
of my pain ; which was at last effected by an
operation performed by my own hands with a
razor. A great quantity of blood flowed from the
wound; and, with a little difficulty, I separated the
large bone that formed the bridge of my nose.
When the Ras visited me, he used to sit by my
side, pitying my fate and asking me repeatedly
what I wanted, and persuading me to drink brandy
to alleviate the pain. Of this liquor I had always
great plenty, for the Ras himself never tasted any,
and he had, for some months before, given me the
privilege of receiving all that was sent to him, or
made in his premises. I now began to get much
better ; and the Ras discharged my Dofter, who
wanted to hang a string of charms about my neck
and head, to which I would not consent. I can
form no conjecture as to the origin of this disease,
though it is'verj^ common in the country. A few
days after the operation I was able to walk about,
and soon gathered strength, but I still experienced
shooting pains in my forehead, especially after
meals. •
At this period the Ras's brother, Ito Debbib,
invited me to bis town- house, at Woger Arreva,
where he said I should soon recover my health y
and he promised to shew me some curious stones,
VOL. I. G
123 ITO DEBBBB.
like thoBe at Axum^ not far firom Us homie, at a
place called Quened ; and^ by permission of the
Ras^ I accompanied his brother to his residence^
Two days after our arrival at Woger Arreva,
which is situated on the top of a mountain that
forms the boundary of Enderta, in the Telfain^
he took me to Queued^ having several men with
us with instruments for digging. Quened is a
small village5 on each side of a swamp^ full of
springs^ which form .themselves into a brook that
runs into the river Dola. A vast number of wil-
lows^ called in the country qtieha, whence it
tal^es its name^ grow in all parts of the swamp.
Ito Debbib first shewed me all. his gardens, which
he employs priests to cultivate; and here I saw
peaches, grapes, and other fruits, and, among the
rest, some trees covered with white grapes, of which
they take no care, but leave them as food for the
birds, the priests holding white grapes in detesta-
tion ; about which I had a long dispute with one
of them, greatly to Ito's satisfaction.
He afterwards took me down to the plain
below, and shewed me a large stone, about six
feet by four, lying upon the ground. It ap-
peared to me to have been formerly covered
with an inscription, which, at a short distance, I
could perceive more plainly than when I looked
close at it. He also pointed out to me a spot
REMAINS AT QUEHA. 12S
wlierc lie two broken obelisks; they appeared
never to have had any inscription upon them^ and
i?7ere very small. There were also seyeral large
stones, curiously cut, like those at Axum, lying
about. Ito Debbib ordered his men to dig where,
as lie told me, the inhabitants had several times
dug before, thinking to find treasure : the men
soon turned up several stpnes, all about three
feet long and a foot square, having inscriptions
on them^ which I imagined were Arabic. With
Ito Debbib's consent, 1 sent a mule to Antido,
to fetch Nuserella, a Greek, who coidd read that
language. In almost every part in which they
dug the labourers found the same kind of stones,
and one was of an oval shape, and certainly had
formed a part of some building. This stone had
an inscription upon it that was neither. Greek,
Arabic, nor Ethiopic. There is no church at
Queha, but there is a mmtrollohy or holy
water, to which those afflicted with disease re-
sort from far and near to bathC;. It is kept by
some monks, who obtain a good living from the
patients who visit it. This place is about one
mile and a half from Weger Arreva, on the Felleg*
darro road, and about ten miles from MunteUa^
where, I have been told, there are other ruins
buried; which, though I have often searched for,
I never could find.
G 2
124 STONES WITH INSCRIPTIONS.
After Ito Debbib had shewn me all that lie
deemed curiou85 we returned to the town, where
he shewed me great kindness, though two years
before this he was my greatest enemy ; indeed^
he was one who wanted to kill me, and make Mr.
Salt and his followers prisoners. The next day
Nuserella arrived, and, before we took our first
meal, we rode but to Queha. Nuserella looked at
the inscriptions, which were as plain as if just
engraved, and began to read, Bismilla crock-
mame earockiem^ — ^^ Stop, stop V* cried Ito
Debbib, '^ that is enough!'' and the thought of
its being Mahometan made him order the place
to be filled up with earth immediately, expressing,
as we rode home, some doubts about Nuserella's
religion, and believing him to be no Christian,
because he could read Arabic, or, as he called it,
Salam.
After this, I remained several days with him,
during which time I went with him down the
mountain of Muntella, into the territories of the
Telfain, to watch the motions of the GaUa at
Sheekot, while the arro passed Wassermer in
safety. On our return, a messenger met us from
the Ras, to acquaint Ito Debbib that he wished
him to attend the cry for. the deaths of the late
kings, Yoas and Yonas, the news of which had
just arrived. Accordingly, instead of going to
DEATH OF KINGS YOAS AND TONAS. 129
Woger Arreva, we repaired with all speed to
Antsdo, where we found the Ras and the
country-people assembled at the cry^ in the
market-place. Yoaa died in Gondar^ and Yonas
died a few days before him in Gojam $ both very
poor, without leaving sufficient even to purchase
a coffin to receive their remains^ or money enough
iorfettart or toscar.
June 10th. After remaining three days at
Ant^o, the period usually allotted for the cry,
the Ras went to Lama, on the frontier of the
Galla, to thatch a church, that had been built by
his orders, against the ensuing runs. I still found
myself ill in my head, but did not like to ask per«
mission to remain behind, knowing how much the
Ras wished me to be near him wherever he went.
At Lama we remained until the beginning of
July, the Ras being always employed in riding
about from place to place, no other person being
seen on horseback except me and Mr. Coffin ;
every other horseman, gunner, or even officer,
being kept hard at work by the old gentleman,
in clearing the wood and bushes from a piece of
land that he had ordered to be cultivated ; there
were also about five hundred ploughmen kept at
work^ ploughing and sowing; and he also ordered
vines to be planted, in several places where he
thought them most secure from the cold.
126 OCCUPATIONS AT LAMA.
During the time we remidned in this beautifal
place> though I found myself very ill^ the Ras
kept me alive by obliging me and Mr. Coffin to
ride races \dth him over the ploughed giround^
more than ten times a day; and^ when he thought
that our own horses had had enough^ he would
liiake us mount others of his stud^ and so keep
us at it all day, and the rest of his people at
labour^ ejccept when the rain came on and drove
us to oiir tents.
I often observed the chiefs whom we had at
work watch an opportunity to lay themselves
down to sleep, or get to some quiet comer where
they could play at chess 5 while we, from being
more favoured by the Ras, Were never able to
escape from his sight. There was no other tent
pitched, but the one occupied by me and Mr.
Coffin : the Ras having thought fit to have a
gqja made for himself, and thatched like those of
the rest of his chiefs. Ours, being an English
tent, sheltered us tolerably well ; though we Were
all of us; and especially myself, heartily glad
when a messenger arrived to inform the Ras that
the army from Walkayt had just succeeded in
crossing the Tacazz^, without losing a soul, not-
withstanding it had begun to rise, and that it
would be at Gambela in three days. On receiving
this intelligence, the Ras gave orders to the chiefs,
PRISONERS. 127
whom he left in charge to superintend the busi-
ness that was to be done at Lama, and the next
day we set out for Mucculla ; where, after amusing
ourselves on the road with hunting for guinea-
fowl and partridges, we arrived in the evening.
I remained at Mucculla with the Ras until he
had reviewed his newly arrived troops, and re-
ceived the usual trophies, which did not exceed
sixty-three in number ; this seemed to dissatisfy
the old man, though there were about one thou-
eand prisoners. Among the men of rank taken
were Asgas Sedit, Ito Batri Ola, and among the
Ozoros of rank, Ozoro Gumbur, and Ozoro Wo-*
ver, the latter being the kept-mistress of Gus-
marsh Hilier Mariam, and the other, Ozoro
Gumbur, having ventured to accompany her
cousin, the Gusmarsh, to see him beat the Tigr^
dandies, as she called them, meaning something
Hke dolts or asses in our English tongue ; with
these there came a large train of young women.
The Ras, on this occasion, permitted every one
to do as he pleased with his prisoners, when some
kept them as servants, and others parted with
them for a mule a head.
After this review I went to the Ras, and told
him that I was becoming too ill to go about with-
out very great pidn, and that even my appetite
had begun to fail. At first he tried to persuade
128 DANGEROUS ILLNESS OF PEARCE.
me to sleep in his wife's hotkse, aad to send for
Tringo, my wife, to attend me ; but, having con-
yinced him that I should be much better in my
own house, he at last consented to my leaving
him; and I returned home and kept, my bed«
There I remained nearly a month, while Tring-o
tried all sorts of herbs, roots, &c., after her
country fashion, to cure me ; four pieces of v^ry
thin white bone came from the roof of my mouthy
^nd twelve pieces and all the gristle from my
nose ; I also became for a time lock-jawed, so that,i
to keep me alive, Tringo used to pour a thin kind
of nourishment, called asmitt^ down my throaty
through a small reed. Numbers of my acquaints
ance came to see me, and, in spite of the super-
stition of my neighbours, I advised them all to
enter ; and they would sit and talk to me, though
I could not, for many days, answer. They fre-
quently made me uneasy by their crying, in their
country fashion, as if I had really been dead.
By the Ras's orders, and at my request, AUicar
Barhe, and all the priests of the Trinity Church,
and M ariam Guddervitee, attended upon me, to
administer the holy sacrament for the last time,
or, as they termed it, to a mungardiweger [one
about to depart.] Though very weak, and not able
to utter a word, yet I could, by this time, open
my mouth a little, owing to the relief I had
ADMINISTRATION OF THE SACRAMENT. 129
experienced from Tringo's poultices of herbs,
&c. ; and I retained my senses and memory as
perfectly as if I had been in the best bodily
health.
The ceremony of administering the sacrament
was performed as follows : early in the morning,
the head priest, Allicar Barhe, and my own priest,
Guebra Mariam, came to demand my last con-
fession. I could not answer them to be under-
stood, but, through Tringo, I made signs that
satisfied him, or them. They first asked me my
christian name, and whether I had received the
holy sacrament on my baptism day ; and bade
me now take it, as a cleansing from all sins past,
and to consider it as a physic for the soul, that
Jesus Christ had in his tender mercy bestowed
on me, to cure and save it from everlasting per-
dition. They required of me, in case my soul
should not depart from me at this present mo-
ment, through God^s mercy, to abstain from all
sins hereafter, to have no other wife than the one
I had, to turn monk, and to give two. thousand
pieces of salt to the poor. My will was then
made, in favour of my wife, my priest, slaves,
and servants, leaving to each such portion of my
property as I thought right; and, when all this
was settled, the church carpets were brought in,
and spread on the groiuid, and I was ordered to
G 5
130 PEARCE AGAIN RECOVERS.
be dressed in a cloth that had never been defiled^
and to be laid on a clean carpet. Shortly after-
wards the priests came in, singing hymns, and
dressed in their holy apparel, and I received the
sacrament from a priest, who first gave me a cross
to kiss } after which they said some long prayer,
and departed.
When all this was over I felt quite easy,
except that I was now and then troubled with
the cries kept up at the door by my acquaint-
ance, who had assembled in great numbers to do
me honour; indeed, the whole ceremony was
carried on as if I had been the king himself.
Instead of dying, as all expected, I soon began to
get better, and the priest, who frequently visited
me, did not forget to hint to me what physic
the holy sacrament was, both for the body and
soul; and I also considered, but said nothings
that, as I had two thousand pieces of salt to pay
for it, the physic was rather dear, the value
amounting to full sixty-six dollars. In the begin-
ning of August, I could again walk about the
house.
The Ras this year kept at Chelicut his fast
for the Blessed Virgin, which commences on the
1st of August, or Narsa, and ends on the six-^
teenth. During this fast, the old man, like many
others, always slept upon the ground.
ASSASSINATION OF WOSEN SEGUED. 131
About this time^ messengers from Gondar ar-
rived^ who had crossed the Tacazz^ on onguars, or
rafts^ with the messerach, or good tidings^ from
Ras Guxo^ that his general^ Ito Woldi Raphael^
had defeated Munet Guarlu^ of Gojam, who had
rebelled ; and it was supposed that Guarlu was
killed^ as he had not been heard of since the
battle. Both Woldi Raphael and Guarlu were
Guxo's sons-in-law. It is frequently the case
in Abyssinia, that, if a soldier kills a chiefs merely
for the U9ual trophy, he does not own he did so,
on account of the danger he is likely to incur
from the chiefs relations.
News was also brought of the death of the king,
Wosen Segued of Shoa: the messenger who
brought this intelligence had been detained some
time by Liban, on suspicion of his being sent
to Gojee, who was still at enmity with him. The
king, Wosen Segued, was assassinated by one of
his slaves. He had gone into one of the apart-
ments to sleep with his wife, which, like the
apartments common in all Abyssinia, was a small,
round, thatched house, built behind his own house
or hall; the doorway being in general low, the
thatch very thick, and easily kindled Mdth the
smallest spark. The slave set fire to the thatch
while the king and queen were asleep ; but, being
soon awakened, the king rose and dragged the
132 PUBLIC BATHING.
queen through the flames without Bustaining
much injury^ when the slave stabbed the king
in the ribs, and he fell immediately. The queen's
screams were soon heard in all parts of the pre-
mises ; the king survived a few days, and the slave
confessed that some chiefs, who were then prison-
ers in irons, had promised to make a great man
of him, besides giving him some gold in hand,
if he would kill the king. The king, before
he died, placed his son Woldi Sarvir, after-
wards Sarlu Selasse, on the throne, and he re-
venged himself upon the chiefs for his father's
death. This happened in June, 1813; Sarlu
Selass^, like his father, became friends with the
Ras, sending and receiving presents.
. Mascarram, or September 1st, Kudus Yohannis
(or St. John) is the first day in the year. During
the five days of Pogme, which are after the last
days of August, I had been advised to go into the
river to bathe, and I found myself quite recovered.
It is customary for all people to wash themselves
in the rivers, on the third day of the five of
Pogme, which is the holy-day of Kudus Raphael,
and is as strictly observed as the eleventh of Tur,
or January, which is Christ's baptism. The Ras
had gone to MuccuUa, to keep his new year's
day, where he remained until the 11th, purposely
to receive a great number of- his chiefs, who
SPRING OF HOLY WATER. 138
attended him to church. This holy-day, the 1 1th
of September, is held in veneration on account
of an old monk, called Abba Annemier, who
fought, about three hundred years ago, against
the Galla, and was killed in battle on the spot
where he is now reverenced. It is said that
he turned into a snake, which is constantly to be
seen.
This sacred spot is about a mile and a half
firom Mucculla, in the plain of Gambela. There
is no church, but a spring of water, called mou
trolloh (holy water) whither thousands flock, to
be cured of their diseases. I have indeed known
people come from Adowa and Gondar, to procure
a little of the sacred earth from this spot, which
is sewed up as a charm, and worn about a person
afflicted with diseases. Round the spring large
^tones are piled up like a wall, and two large
trees grow very near it, being the only trees or
bushes for many hundred yards round. Deter-
mined to look closer into the superstitious
notions attached to this spot, I got up one morn-
ing, under the pretence of going to bathe, but 1
dared not take any of my servants with me, for
fear of their prejudices, and therefore told them
to take my horses and mules to a place where
they might eat some young grass, while I went
to wash myself. I then went, just as the sim
184 THE REVIEW.
had risen^ and lifted up some of the stones, in
doing which I saw four or five snakes, small and
large, w}iich ran immediately under the stones
beneath; 1 afterwards replaced the stones, a$
they had been left there by the priests^ fbif the
snakes to drink out of, and returned to my
servants, perfectly satisfied of the folly of those
ignorant people; though I said nothing at the
time, I had, before a month was out, strong rea-
sons for breaking my silence, as will subsequently
appear.
September 4th. Finding myself quite well, I
went to the Ras at Mucculla; numbers of people
had already begun to arrive, not only to visit the
sacred place of Abba Annemier, but also to see
how matters would go on at Antalo, the l/th of
this month being Mascal, when the yearly income
is received, and every chief, with his troops, is
reviewed : to such as the Ras thinks fit he gives
preferment, while those he is displeased with
are put back or dismissed from office, which
seldom happens ; however, every one of the
higher rank strives to outdo his neighbour in the
discipline and splendid appearance of himself and
his troops.
September 11th. Being the aforesaid holiday,
we began after sunrise to descend the hill of
Mucculla, at the foot of which were waiting a
THE SACRED SNARE. 185
great number of horsemen^ and^ as soon aB we
had reached the plam, I and Mr. Coffin mounted
our horses and jomed with the rest in sham-
fights^ though very few Uked to sport with us
at dose quarters^ as the report of our pistols and
blunderbusses often put their horses into confu-
sion and made them ungovernable. Proceeding in
this manner^ we shortly arrived at the sacred*
place^ where a dass was built with the boughs of
trees and marshella stakes. Here we did not find
the priests going on in their usual noisy way of
singings but were surprised to see them dragging
along a poor Amhara priest, as if they meant to
kill him instantly. He was brought before the
Ras, and the priests called out that he had killed
the sardocj or saint. On inquiry, it appeared
that this poor fellow, being a traveller from the
Amhara, on his road to Axum, had seen the
snake as he was washing in the sacred water, and
had crushed the head with a stone, after which
he called to the people near, and told them that
he had killed a snake, when, to his utter astonish--
ment, he was seized, and the priests insisted that
he should be instantly put to death; but the
tender old Ras, who did not like to take life,
said, ** Pei*haps the poor man may be mad, we
will chain him, and see if he is in his right
senses ;'' which enraged the priests beyond mea-
136 THE SACRED SNAKE.
sure. They swore they would have his blood spilt
on the spot. I could not keep silence any lon^er^
and stood up and said, ^^Ber Welled Selass^^
hear me,'' and from that moment not a syllable
was uttered until I had finished my story. I
then related that, some months before, I hap-
pened to come to wash myself at this place in
order to cure a complaint in my thigh, and I saw
four or five snakes, among which, I added (think-
ing to help the poor man) was one larger than
that which had been killed, and hence I supposed
they had come from some distance for water^
and that the snake, now dead, might probably
from a similar cause have wandered to the spot.
The Ras, upon my saying this, insisted that the
wall should be well looked into, and, on the
removal of the first stone, a snake was discovered
between the stones near the same place, where
the sacred reptile used to have water put before
him. This statement immediately created great
joy, and the prisoner was released, though severely
reprimanded, and punished with a few smart
stripes from the whip of one of the Ras's sol-
diers.
The service then proceeded as usual. A large
quantity of frankincense was burnt at a small dis-
tance from the wall in which the snake was, and
the altar was brought, according to the yearly
I ALLOWANCE TO PEARCE AND COFFIN. 187
custom, from the church Yasous, on the hiU of
Mucculla, and the sacrament administered to those
who 'wished to receive it. After the service, the
Ras mounted his horse, and we ail rode over the
plains in the usual confused manner, it seldom
happening on such occasions that several persons
are not killed. I felt extremely happy that I had
been, on this occasion, the means of saving an
innocent man's life, though I had not dared to
explain the whole extent of my discovery re-
specting the snakes.
September 12th. We went to Chelicut, where
some Galla chiefs had arrived with a number of
sangas, and the Ras gave me my choice of them,
in exchange for my M ascal cow, I and Mr. Coffin
being allowed a cow every month, as a standing
order, and, when on service, one every three days.
We had as many sheep as we wished for, and I
have before said all the goats brought were
mine*.
* It appears, from the above statement, that Pearce has dealt
somewhat hardly with the Ras, in speaking of him as the most
miterly of human beings, since, besides the allowances mentioned
in this place, he was entitled to a large and regular supply of
salt, and to all the brandy made on the Ras's premises, to say
nothing of occasional p/esents. The truth, probably, is that the
Ras, from long and difficult experience, had learned, like Eliza-
beth of England and Frederick of Prussia, that money forms the
smews of war, and therefore abstained from the reckless waste
and profusion in which most of his contemporary chiefs indulged.
T-Editor.
138 ACCIDENT AT THE REVIEW.
September 14th. We went to Aiititlo^ I and
Mr. Coffin taking with us *every soldier^ servant,
or boy, that we could muster, dressed in the best
attire we could procure for them, with ne\^ ^c-
coutrements for our horses and mules ^ and on the
16th the part of the army to which we were in
' general attached was retdewed : we joined them,
dressed in English military uniforms which Mr.
Suit had left us. All eyes were fixed upon us,
and, being with the horse of Enderta, we were
reviewed before the Tigr^ matchlock-men^ who
were about five thousand, commanded by Bashaw
Gabriott. After we had gone through the usual
fantastic manoeuvres, and were riding out of
the court, the musket-men began to fire before we
had entirely passed them — a circumstance that
we had always been cautious of at other times,
bilt which to-day we happened to neglect. The
consequence was, that we had one man killed,
and Mr. CoflGm's horse being shot through the
hind-leg, he was obliged to make his escape on
foot. These accidents happen every Mascal, on
account of the greater number of the gunners
having their muskets previously loaded with iron
shot, and, having no means of drawing the charge,
they, rather than be at the loss of one rotmd of
powder, will fire in this random manner, for it is
to be observed that every soldier in Abyssinia
THE AEVI£W. 189
fisda his own powder. I persuaded the Ras to
istttie an order, thAt no one in future should fire
alter be entered the market-phuse^ but that this
part of the ceremony should be gone through
at Ouner Takley Himanute^ the place where they
first assemble*.
After the review was over we took leave o*
the Ras and followed our people^ who had taken
the body of the dead man^ by my desire^ to
Chelicut^ to be buried there ; and, having given
the priest a small sum for a fettart for our poor
servant, we again set out for Antklo, to see the
remainder of the review. It lasted three days ;
Enderta and the neighbouring districts as far as
Agatn^ were reviewed the first day, and they
brought in their cattle. The Ras is always
seated on these occasions upon a high gallery
to receive the income, and at some distance from
him are seated his secretaries, who write an
account of the cattle, clothes, &c., that are
brought into the court by the servants of the
chiefs to whom they belong; after which, the
chiefs themselves appear at the head of the
* From what I have learned from Mr. Coffin, there appears
to be very little doubt that this apparent accident originated in
the ill-will and treachery of some of the chiefe, who were dis-
satisfied with the marked attention and distinction with which
the Ras treated our two countrymen. Indeed, the Ras seemed
to suspect as much himself. — Editor.
140 THE REVIEW.
troops of the respective districts, displaying their
prowess in a manner that to any European
would appear barbarous, at the same time inaking
an extremely warlike show, notwithstanding' their
want of discipline.
Tigr^ was reviewed on the second day, ivith
the neighbouring districts as far as Ammerseexn,
Wojjerat, and Agow. On the third day Guxo
reviews his troops, &c., in the same manner at
Deverertavor, his capital, in Begemder; Ackly
Marro at Gondar, Has Guebra at Inchetkaub, and
Ras Ilo at Socotta. In every province, indeed,
throughout Abyssinia, this custom is observed
on the seventeenth day of Mascarram, called
Mascal, or the feast of the holy cross. At the
close of the first day's review, the high-priests
of the different churches appear in the court,
carrying large crosses, and singing, rather than
saying, the first chapter of Habbakuk.
CHAPTER IV.
Death of the deposed king Itsa Ischias — Proceedings in a case of
Murder — Execution— Escape of the Culprit— Law relative to
Murder — March of the Army from Chelicut — Hikeer Mussal^—
Dacer — Aspect of the Country — ^The Aggerzeen, a species of
Deer — Return to Chelicut — King Tecla Gorgis entreats, the
Ras to march to Gondar — ^Entertainment of the Ras, when on
march, by the Chiefs — ^Mr. Co£5n stung by a Scorpion — Feast
at Moi Agenzean — Entry of the Ras into Axum — Meeting of
Tecla Gorgis and the Ras — Ozoro Dinkemagh — Ozoro Duster
— ^Wells — Gold Coins found at Axum — Giddams, or Sanctu-
aries — Customs respecting Visiters and Travellers — Interview
with the king — Entertainment given to the Ras by Ozoro
Duster — ^The King-Snake — ^Meeting at the Church — ^The Cry-
ing Cross — Picture of the Virgin Mary.
Aftbr the review was over, I remained at Ant^lo
with the Ras, until Abba Garorr, October 5th,
when I went to Chelicut, the Ras coming on the
foUowuig day, with the intention of passing some
months in comfort, there being no rumour of
war. , The death of the deposed king Itsa Ischias,
father of Itsa Guarlu, the present king, was
announced about this time. He died on Sep-
tember 13th, 1813 ; the Ras kept only one day's
cry for him, though he was his father-in-law,
through his late wife Ozoro Mantwaub. The Ras,
after remaining nearly a month at Chelicut quite
142 PROCEEDINGS IN A CASE OF MURDEB.
undisturbed, began to feel inaction tiresome^ and
therefore determined to build a new church at
Comfu, a short distance from Chelicut. Ac-
cordingly, the drum was beat in the market-place
of Antklo, for all Enderta and the adjoining dis-
tricts to be ready to march to Dacer, every man
bringing with him a rope and an axe, on the
following Thursday,
The day before we left Chelicut, a woman had
brought in chains a poor miserable object^ whom
she accused of having killed her husband; the wit-
nesses also arrived from the small village of Gibba,
to which they belonged. When the Ras had heard
the whole story and examined the witnesses^ he
found the man guilty of murder, though ap-
parently without malice, and told the woman,
agreeably to the law, to do as she pleased with
him. She replied, " I have no one but myself; I
have no relation; neither have I a spear or
knife.'' The Ras said, ^* Then you must hang
him." She again replied, " How can I do that
by myself ? I have got a mushchamy [a leather
rope] it is true, but 1 cannot hang him alone."
The Ras then ordered some of the groom-boys
sibout the house to assist her in hanging the man
to the darro-tree, on the green before the house.
** God preserve you a thousand years !" said tie
woman, adding, in an under-tone, ^^ His relations
EXECUTION. 143
are all here, and they will not have far to carry
his body, as he belongs to the church." Mariam
Guddervitee Takly, one of the Ras's stable-
grooms, and some other of the slaves, had the
management of the afibir. When they came to
the darro-tree, which is as easily climbed as a
ladder, they helped the woman up with one end
of the mushcham in her hand, shewing her which
was the best bough to tie it to. Takly, not-
withstanding the woman had promised to give
him plenty of butter for his trouble, now put the
poor object's two hands within the mmhcfiamf
round the neck, and, after tying it, ordered the
woman to draw up the mushcham, while they
would lift him from off the large stone they had
made him stand upon. Accordingly, she did this,
aud made it well fast, and then came down to
behold him hanging, at the same time exclaiming,
^^ Blessed be Mary Ann, the mother of God, who
has given me revenge for my husband ! bad as
he was, I have stood true to him." After he had
hung for some time, the crowd that stood to look
cm cried often to her, " Why woman, he has
been dead long ago!" "Thank God for that !"
said she, f'but they shall not have my mu^A-
cham to bury with him." Accordingly, she,
with the help of Takly, climbed up the tree and
loosed the mushcham^ while Takly took it from
144 ESCAPE OF THE CULPRIT.
his neck. The relations immediately came to
take up the body, which they were allowed to do;
but, before they had got ten yards, the dead maa
set off, without being carried, and ran into the
Trinity church- yard, where he was safe, even
though he had killed a thousand persons. The
woman, seeing this, was enraged and ran to the
Ras's gateway crjdng, " Abbate^ Abbate V* She
obtained admittance, and told the Ras that the
man had not been hung long enough ; the Ras,
who had already heard the story, laughed and
said to the woman, " Would you wish to kill
a man that God will not permit to die f He hung
long enough to have killed a cat." She an-
swered, '^ Let me have him up again, and I will
pull at his legs till I break his neck/* *^ You fool-
ish woman !" replied the* Ras, " would you op-
pose the will of God t" Seeing that the old Ras
looked grave when he said this, she believed it
was God*s will that the man should not die, and
her spirit failed her, as she said, in a very low and
sorrovdul tone, ^^ Though he is such an ill*
formed creature, I have seen him do things that
nobody else could do. The locust never touched
the little corn he had behind his house; and
though we used , to make a fire to smoke them
away we could not save ours as he did.'* She
immediately went to the church and begged his
LAW IN CASeS OF MURDER. 145
forgiveness, and they afterwards lived good neigh-
bours as usual; indeed, I heard subsequently that
he became her husband.
The law in Abyssinia stands thus in cases of
murder : after the fact has been proved before the
chief, he passes the sentence of death ; when,
should the deceased party. have no other relation
but a female, though she may have a husband,
friends, or other connections, yet she, being
nearest related to him, must strike the first blow,
either with a spear or with a knife, when her
acquaintances dispatch him immediately. With-
out the formality of her striking the first blow,
the friends and relations of the woman would be
reckoned by the offender's relations to have spilt
their blood without just cause. As soon as the
sentence of death has been passed, the deceased's
family may, if it be agreed upon, take cattle in
lieu of the murderer's life ; one hundred head of
cattle being the customary redeeming price.
When the offender is put to death, the relations
bury his body in the church, which is permitted
by the laws 5 but those who kill themselves are not
allowed this privilege of interment within the
church-wall. If a chief insists upon ^ p^rty taking
an equivalent for life, he can do so ; but then,
whatever fine is agreed upon must be paid in the
presence of the Shummergildas. This law passed
VOL. I. H
146 TOWN OF DACER.
in the reign of Tarlack Yasous, the king, and
was again 'proclaimed by Ras Michael Suhul, and
afterwards repeated by Ras Welled Selass^.
November 12th, We left Chelicut, when the
Ras had risen from his sleep after dinner, and en-
camped in the evening at' Hiker Helleta, a rich
plain, abounding in marshes and small streams,
which supply the little river of Chelicut, and those
rivers that run through Gambela, a fine part of
the country, but always haunted by the Galla.
Next morning we marched to the Dola, a stream
which empties itself into the river Gibba, and
rises in Derva, another long marshy valley.
Thence we went to Hiker Mussal, where we
encamped upon the bank of the river Argulta,
which rises at the mountain of Dacer from many
springs 5 here we remained until all our wood-
cutters had arrived. Hiker Mussal is a very
large town, inhabited by brave Christians, who
defend their district against the Galla and Telfain.
We next passed to the town of Dacer, which, .
like all others upon the frontiers of the Galla and
Taltal, is built as close as the houses can possibly
be placed. to each other, with a high wall round
the whole. There is a great square in the middle,
large enough to hold all their cattle ; the houses
have all flat tops, within the walls, to which they
adjoin; and the inhabitants get upon them to
COLD AT NIGHT. 147
defend themselves when attacked by the Taltal :
there is bat one gate of entrance to the town.
The Galla seldom come thus far norths though the
Taltals sneak about and kill many, such as boys
looking after cattle^ or people employed in the field.
About two hours after we had passed the town,
we ascended into some woods of fine large firs
and kouleSf the latter much resembling the olive.
In this spot the Ras pitched his tent, in the snug-
gest place he could pick out, towards the thickest
part of the wood, and we made our gqfas as close
together as possible, that our fires might be the
closer to each other, and create the more heat ;
for, before the sun went down, we began to feel the
cdld, and, ere midnight, I was glad to get close to
the fire, with two large cloths over me. In the
morning, our sensations and the resemblance this
spot bore to our native country naturally led us
to discourse of home. Every tree was covered
with a crispish frost, and, as the sun rose, the earth
b^an to steam like a vast boiler. We went to the
Ras's tent, and found him lying and talking to
the slaves, rolled up in three cloths and a bumtise,
with a large fire before him, and his head covered
up. After bidding him good morrow, we were
ordered to sit down, and he began asking us how
cold it was in our own country, but never got from
under his cloths. When we told him that the
H 2
146 TASK IMPOSED ON CHIEFS.
water there froze so hard that we could drive
cattle over the riverB^ he seemed scarcdy to
believe us, and said, in a low tone^ from under his
thick covering, '^ I had rather you should live
there than I/' We sat, telling him stories of
other parts of the world ; but I could not produce
any one interesting enough to induce him to put
his head from under cover; until, about two
hours after the sun was up, he took a short peep
and said, " Kill the cow ; we must eat before we
go. to work.'' The cow was accordingly dis-
patched, and he got up and buckled on his knife,
and, after eating some brindo without bread, and
drinking a horn or two of maize, he called all the
chiefs in turn-, and, knowing the strength of their
respective districts, tasked them as he thought
proper ; ordering every one to fell so many trees,
take the bark off, and bring them before his tent
by sunset. I, having the command of his own
household, was directed with my party to fell the
bng young firs, not larger than my arm, for
roofing under the thatch, and, with little difficulty,
we cut more than a thousand the first day.
From this place the view to the eastward, when
clear of the woods, appears like a bluish misty sea,
and forms the most dismal prospect I ever beheld ;
for, let the day be ever so clear, you can see
nothing at this time of the year but vast masses
THE AGOERZEEN. 149
of clouds below you ; though it may possibly be
different at other seasons. To the westward are
seen all the green valleys and plains throughout
the country, and the mountains of Samen are dis-
tinctly visible. The woods in this place are about
four miles in width, extending east and west, and
in length several days' journey nortii and south.
The (iggerzeen, a large kind of deer, is very
numerous here, and the warmth of our camp had
enticed numbers to i^proach us, as they are not
afraid of fire, like the generality of other wild
animals. One morning, a fine large buck was
found among the Ras's cows, and soon speared by
the soldiers, who, according to custom, brought
the hind-qu^urters to the Ras, by whom they
were given to me. I sent the skin and the horns
of this beautifully shaped creature, together with
a sketch and the skins of some curious wild beasts,
to Mr. Salt, in the year 1813.
December 10th. We quitted our camp, and
marched for Chelicut by the same road we came,
and the first night reached Barkie, where we slept
at the premises of Ito Dimsu, the Ras's nephew ;
we were not more than fifty in number, every
body else being ordered to carry, or assist in
carrying, the timber to Conlfu, near Chelicut.
The second day we arrived at Chelicut j where,
at dinner time, the Ras observed to me, just as he
150 MESSAGE FROM EINQ TECJLA GORGIS.
had taken a draught of maize, ^^ One can take »
good drink here, without making the teeth ache ;
but at Dacer every mouthful gave one pain."
The chiefs arrived with part of the timber, at tiie
place enjoined^ in five days, though some of the
heavy trees did not arrive till ten days afterwards^
every thing being done by main strength alone,
without the smallest assistance from any me-
chanical contrivance*
December 25th. Palambarus Guebra Selass^
arrived from the king Teda Gorgis. The mesv
sage he brought was to intreat the Ras, now the
king's son-in-law, to march by way of Walkayt
to Gondar, and once more place Teclar Gorgis
upon the throne. Asgas Sedit also arrived with
a message to the same effect ; but the Ras would
not agree to these measures, unless the king
would first quiet Waldubba and come to Axum,
where he promised to wait upon him and make
such anrangements as they might think fit upon
the subject. Messengers had been privately sent
backward and forward for some months before
upon this business, but the Ras was unwilling to
trust Tecla, with whose character he was well
acquainted. Christmas-day falling upon the 29th
of December, in Aby&sinia, the Ras detained the
different messengers to keep their feast with hitn,
and then gave them leave to depart.
MARCH FROM CHELICUT. 151
January lOth^ 1814. News was brought by
Palambarus Toclu's senrant^ whom the Ras had
ordered to prepare at Axam for the reception of
the king Tecla Gorgis, that he had crossed the
Tacazz^^ and was expected daily at Axum. The
Ras^ on receiving this intelligence, quitted Antido,
where he had spent his Christmas, and returned to
Chelicut ; but, instead of holding the Tumkut
review of his troops, which takes place on the
11th of January, he ordered them to be ready to
ni^arch with all speed to meet the king at Axum.
January 12th. Notwithstanding its being the
holyday. Kudus Michael, we left Chelicut, and
marched to Alarsa, where we were entertained by
Shum Giralta Toclu ; next day we marched to
Gullybudda, where we were provided for, in a
large dassy made by the sons of Palambarus
Toclu, but not so magnificently as by Shum
Giralta Toclu, the quantity of whose bread, meat,
and maize, almost exceeded credibility. When-
ever the Ras is upon a march in his own dominions,
every chief tries to outdo his neighbours in the
quality of the cattle, bread, maize, and sawa, they
prepare for him. Should the Ras be displeased
with the manner of his reception, he either de-
mands a fine from the chief, or displaces him
altogether, and puts another in his stead ; though
the last must be a relation of the former, who has
162 ENTERTAINMENT OF THE RAS.
a right by birth to become governor of the
district.
January 14th. We left GuUybudda and marched
to the river Warie, where we were supplied by
several petty chiefs, at the head of whom was
Ito Assemmant. In this place we also found a
large d(iss built, and a platform made of clay and
stones, with clay for a table about fourteen yards
long, first covered with wild mint and rushes,
on which bread and cooked victuals were piled
in abundance : five cows were ready killed, and
ten more w^e presented to the Ras. Maize and
sowa were also handed round in large quantities.
On the 15th, we marched to Zonger, where we
were provided for by the Gas Ischias, and the
sons of the Cannasmash How from Abba Tzana.
Here the abundance surpassed all that we had
seen before, and my tent was so full of bread,
meat, maize,' and sowaj though our people had
continued feasting till midnight, that I and Mr.
Coffin were obliged to sleep outside with our
domestics. During the night a scorpion stung Mr.
Coffin on the elbow ; it had come from a stone,
upon which he had placed his head by way of
pillow. One of our people immediately cut the
wounded part with a razor, to let the blood out,
but still it gave him great pain for more than an
hour after.
ENTERTAINMENT OF THE RAS. 153
On the 16th, we marched to Moi Agenzean,
where we were entertained by the eons of the
Nebrid Alfiers and Aram. Nebrid Aram killed
Nebrid Alfiers in 180/^ and from that time the
parties have been at enmity, though always kept
quiet by the power of the Ras, who had forced
them to be reconciled. The dass here was built
by the above parties, each occupying one side ;
being both determined either to outdo one ano-
ther or lose the last scrap in their possession.
One «ide of the platform, which they had built for
a table, having become one pile of loaves higher
than the other, the opposite party immediately
brought their own side to a level with it j while
the girls, who brought in the cooked victuals, in
the same manner, entered the dass in distinct
parties. The Ras viewed this for some time
smilingly, and at last told them that there was
abundance, and more than would be that day con-
sumed ; adding that he was equally satisfied with
both parties, which at once settled the business,,
and the plentiful feast began. It is always, by
the by, a lucky chance both for officers and
soldiers, when encamped in a district where there
are parties in opposition.
On the 17th, very early in the morning, the
Ras called me, to say that he meant to enter
Axum on his favourite Bulla ; not from any re-
h5
164 ENTRY INTO AXUM,
spect to the king, but in honour of the Blessed
. Virgin, to whom the church at Axum is dedicated.
He also desired nie and Mr. CofiBin to have
plenty of powder, with our arms, and to ride close
to him, one on each side ; orders were then given
for every horseman to have his horse saddled, it
being a common custom in Abyssinia, with the
lower sort of wotada [soldiers] to . have one
saddle only, which serves both for mule and horse,
the latter being never mounted, except in battle or
on private occasions. In the provinces east of the
Tacazz^ no one rides horses on a march, as they
are led before the owner while he journeys on his
mule ; but in Gojam and Edjow they frequently
travel on horseback when marching with the
army.
We broke up our encampment, and march-
ed towards Axum, over the extensive plain
Attsowa. As soon as we came within sight of. the
town, the Ras got off his mule and mounted Bulla,
every chief and horseman following his example.
The chiefs were directed to keep their horses
about six yards in the rear, where they formed
one close body, while the old gentleman made me
ride on his right, with our thighs nearly touching^
and Mr. Coffin on his left ; on firing our large
blunderbusses, well loaded, the horses began to
get warm, which greatly pleased the old man..
ENTKY INTO AXUM. 155
Having at his desire loaded and fired both our
blunderbusses and pistols several times^ great
confusion was created among the chiefs in our rear^
who were in a body consisting of one hundred and
fifty^ about six yards behind us^ followed by six
hundred wotada, whose spirited horses, not
being used to fire-arms^ became ungovernable.
The horse of Ito Nockindis, a relation of the
Ras^ taking fright and plunging violently^ fell
down^ broke its saddle, and hurt the young chief
so much that he was obliged to be carried home
to his country ; but the Ras, still in high glee
and never thinking of his relation, now and then
said to me, in a low tone, ^^ Put in plenty o^
powder : put in three or four cartridges \ your
arms are strong enough to hold a mudfar" Our
horses pranced, as they galloped towards the
king's tent, or dasSy in the wildest manner, which
quite delighted the old Ras, who rides better
than any young man in his country, though age
will not now permit him to indulge often in an
exercise for which he had been remarkable in his
younger days.
The king Tecla Gorgis had his tent pitched
within the large dass, that had been erected for
his reception, on the south side of the church- wall,
which fronts the whole plain. He had ordered
the front of his tent and dass to be left open, in
166 RECEPTION OF THE RAS Bt THE KING-
ord^r that he might have a clear view of the Ras
and his troops^ and we were afterwards informed
he was so much delighted on seeing me and Mr.
Coffin in regimentals^ firing while the horses
were plunging furiously^ that he stood up on his
sofa to have a better view of us, e!xclaiming
MarlikteingCy Sonshivelenij [They are angels,
not mortals] . The moment we approached the
entrance of the dcLSSj which was crowded by mul-
titudes of people, on each side, we sprang from
our horses, the Ras very nimbly throwing his
cloth round his waist, in order that his breast
might be bare. On entering, he placed his hand
upon mine, and I went into the dass with him, but
as we approached the king, who was seated upon
sofa in his tent, with a munderger [grate of fire]
before him, and his attendants neatly dressed, and
standing in their respective stations, the Ras let
go my hand, and bowed with his forehead to the
ground, remaining in that position about half a
minute, when he rose and approached the king,
taking a half- wheel round the inside of the dasSy
where, after standing about a minute, it was inti-
mated to him to sit down, by a nod from the king,
who, until he was seated, did not . speak a word.
The Ras made another low bow, and sat down
upon a carpet spread for his reception. The
king first broke silence by asking the Ras how he
INTERVIEW WITH THE KING. 157
did^ and where he had got another gipsy^ meanmg
Mr. Coffin^ as he knew me before. Mr. Coffin
had not yet entered the dassy but the king desired
that he should be admitted; when the Ras in-
formed him of the whole of Mr. Salt's mission^ and
of the presents he had brought for Itsa Guarlu.
While the story was relating^ the king said^ '^Stop^
1 must have the whole from Pearce^'' adding,
"I know the Feringees are not dandies" [silly-
people] '^ but very cunning fellows." Gusho, a
Balermal, who stood upon his right hand, on
reeeiving a sign from the king, came and whisper-
ed in my ear that I and Mr. Coffin should sit
down. We remained seated some time before any
of the chiefs were allowed admittance ; but, at
last^ upon a whisper from the king to the Balermal
Comfu, who stood upon his left hand, he went to
the entrance of the dass, and ordered the Gusmati
Ischias, Fit-aurari Guebra Amlac, Palambarus
Wonderfrash, and Aszas Guebra Selass^, to
advance and sit down. They obeyed the order
with alacrity, made their bows, and seated them-
selves upon a carpet below that of the Ras, while
perfect silence prevailed during a few moments,
till the king began to make remarks on the Ras's
horsemanship, the activity of his horsemen in
general, and their discipline, as he termed what a
European i;rould have called madness.
158 PALAMBARUS TOCLU.
The^king paid the Ras many compliments^ and
among other thin^ said^ '^ Welled Selassd^ you
ride as well and as lights and appear as young as
you did in the time of Ras Michael. How
came you by that beautiful Bulla horse V The
Ras replied^ '^ I had him given me by the Gus-
marsh Zonde, about four years ago, when it was
very young.'* '^ What have you done with your
old favourite Shummetf" said the king. T^e
Ras replied, ^^ I have given him to Toclu, having
now grown old.'* — " What, does not Toclu want a
young horse f" replied the king. Palambarus
Toclu, who stood at a distance, with the other
chiefs, who were waiting upon the Ras, began to
smile, knowing what would follow. ^^ I think an
old horse suits him b^st," said the Ras. " Why?"
said the king, ^^ has he got the curtermart [rheui-
matism]f " No, Ganvar*," said the Ras, " he has
not got the curtermart, but a young horse is apt
to give it him:" on which a laugh was set up
throughout the whole dass. Palambarus Toclu,
though somewhat displeased, affected to laugh
also ; he not only being noted for a bad horseman,
but as ranking nearly first among the cowards of
Abyssinia ; though, in spite of these great defects .
in a soldier or chief, he commanded the largest
* Thje title of the king.
VISIT TO THE CHURCH. 169
district in the Ras's dominions. Indeed, it is the
policy of the Abyssinian rulers, to prefer their
cowardly chiefs before others, being less fearful
of their rebelling. After all, Palambarus declared
himself much gratified by the Ras giving him
Shummet ; that horse he valued more than any
in hitt possession, the Ras having never permitted
any one but himself to ride him, till he presented
him to Mr. Salt, to carry him from Chelicut to
Antak), in 1810, which was regarded by every
body at the time as a most unusual mark of fa-
Tour. The joke being ended, the company was
dismissed, except the Ras, who had a short pri-
vate conversation before he left the king.
^J'he Ras then visited the church, where, in the
front of the great gates, the priest had assembled.
All the carpets belonging to the. church were
spread, out, and the priests, dressed in their holy
and richest robes and crowns, were singing a
hymn, throwing themselves into the wildest pos-
tures, as is customary on such occasions. This
hymn, at the close of every verse, ended with
JFelled le Selass^ TFoldi Kejla Yasomha hile hu
yer Yasous Chrutosku — [Son of the Trinity, son
of Jesus's follower, his strength is in Christ
Jesus.] As the Ras approached, he threw the
cloth from his shoulders, and made a bow, the
head-priest calling out to him, ^^ Dress, dress, by .
160 OZORO DINKERNAGH.
the Virgin^ dress V when the Ras resuming his
cloth^ the head-priests presented him a cross to
kiss. After standing a few minutes^ the Ras, in^
dining his head towards the ground, desired a
Uessing, which the high-priest gave ; the Lord's
prayer being repeated by the assembled crowd* .
The Ras next proceeded to pay a visit to
Ozoro Dinkernagh, who arrived with the king from
Waldubba. She is the daughter of the former
Ras Ilo of, Gojam, and Mdfe to the Gusmarsh
Christy Zonde, the late governor of Gojam ; who,
being overpowered by Guxo in a hard fought
battle, in the plain of Dembea, made his escape
round the lake Tzana to Agow Mudda ; but, in
making another attempt to recover his country,
he was deceived by the troops he employed, taken
prisoner, and kept in chains in the Island of Car,-
retta WoUetta in the lake, where it was supposed
he and another chief, the Cannasmash Woldic,
were poisoned by Guxo's orders. Dinkernagh,.
though a handsome young woman, was so grieved
at the loss of her husband that she turned nun,
and went to the sacred wilderness of Waldubba,
and had now come to the Ras, to prevail on him
to use all means in his power to get her sent to
Jerusalem. The Ras promised to do all he could
to assist her in her undertaking. We then re-
turned to our camp, where we found a large dtiss
OZORO DUSTER. 161
erected by Palambarus Todu, and the sons of
Nebrid Alfiers^ where we were as usual plentifully
supplied.
When the festival was over^ I and Mr. Coffin
went to our tent, where we found Palambarus
TocIu'b servant, with a cow, a sheep, two thou-
sand cakes of bread, and a large jar of maize,
which had been carried to our tent by four men,
upon a pole. Ozoro Duster, an old acquaintance of
mine, had also sent me some cooked victuals,
some maize, and a milch cow with her calf, de-
siring me to pay her a visit in the evening, with
which request I was obliged to comply, though
very much fatigued. I and Mr. Coffin wished to
take a little rest previously, but it could not be
done f our soldiers must have the cow killed, and
by the time they had done eating and drinking,
it was past ten at night. I had then to go to
Ozoro Duster's, where I was crammed with
another supper. When eating with a lady of
this country, you have not the least occasion to
use your own hands, except to wipe your mouth
with a piece of bread, for they cram the victuals
into your mouth so fast and in such large lumps,
though perfectly minced, as to render it ex-
tremely difficult to swallow, until a person be-
comes used to it. At cock-crow I returned to
my tent, where I slept soundly till after sun-rise.
162 SUPPLY AT THE |USS TABLE.
I was afterwards called to dine with the Ras a9
usual, and fouad there a multitude of the Tigc4
people in great confusion, striving to settle how
the Ras should be maintained by them. It was
at length determined, that every chief shoiild pro-
vide for his table in turn until his departure;
those nearest had to provide for the first days^
while those who had to bring provisions two or
three day's journey next furnished the supply>
and so on in rotation. It is surprising to see
how safely they carry the large jars of maize
over the mountains from Gundufta, &c. to Axum«
It took them two days to bring the Gusmati
Ischias's maize and sowa, and not one jar was
broken upon the road.
The Ras remained at this place, paying visits
every other day to the king, when they always
had about an hour's private conversation together.
We had here very heavy dews in the night, which
caused colds throughout our camp ; and the pool
of standing water at Axum became so very
muddy, through the number of cattle, that it
caused many horses and mules to die daily.
There is no river within two miles of Axum, but
the inhabitants have good well-water ; there are
many wells hidden, and even in the plain num-
bers have been found, but the people are too lazy
to clear them from rubbish. It appears probable
' WELLS AT AXUM. 163
I tiiat^ in ancient times^ almost every house had its
well^ as 1 have been at the clearing of four,
dtuated not more than ten yards from ^ach
other. The stone of which they are constructed
is the same kind of granite of which the obelisks
are formed. I was told by Apostella, an old
.Greeks >irho had bought a piece of ground from
the priests^ as close to the church as any of the
buldings are allowed to be, that, in clearing the
rubbish out of a well which he had discovered, he
found some gold coins, which be shewed me ; and
indeed^ two of the same kind came into my pos-
session several months afterwards, but, unfortu-
nately, having forwarded them to Mr. Salt, they
were lost on the road. One of them had a bald
man's head upon one side, and apparently arms
upon the reverse. The second had a woman's
head, with a forked crown on it, and something
imitating a balance or scales ; the characters
were Greek. The coin was as thick in the mid-
dle as an English half-crown, though not thicker
than a shilling round the edges, and in circum-
ference about the size of an English guinea.
None of the wells are less than forty feet deep,
some of them much more. This Greek had for-
merly resided in Gondar and Adowa, but growing
old, he had come to settle in this secure place
during the remainder of bis life ; he is a silver-
161 AXUM A SACAED PLACE.
smithy and most of the ornaments of the principal
churches are his workmanship.
In the event of rebellion or civil war, Axum is
never disturbed by Christians, and those who
commit murder or the worst of crimes are safe
from justice when once within the giddam, or
sacred premises. There are many other giddams
in Abyssinia that are equally respected, and, in^
deed, wherever the Abunas have resided and ad-
ministered the holy sacrament, such places are
venerated as giddams alike by royalists and
rebels. The number of priests and deacons al-'
lowed a share in the land, or the rights of the
giddam, will be seen in another place.
.. The Ras was still waiting for the arrival of
Fit-aurari Suddal, brother to Woldi Comfu of
Walkayt, and, I, finding myself rather unwell,
obtained permission of the Ras to go to Adowa
for a few days.
February Ist. 1 went to Adowa, where I stop-
ped until the holyday Kudus Michael, which is
the 12th ; and after settling with my landlady,
with whom I lodged, I returned by the Ras'tf
orders to Axum. In Abyssinia, it is customary
for every person whomsoever, in any kind of office
under the head of a province, or a visiter from
any friendly or hostile province, coming or going
upon business to the head of that province, or
PROVISION FOR STRANGERS. 166
any one travelling under protection of the latter^
to have lodgings and conveniencea found gratis
in all towns for himself and servants, but they
must find their own provisions ; and it is also a
general custom, when a lodger kills a cow, sheep,
or goat, to give the skin to the owner of the
house, with a piece of meat, and frequently to ask
him to nieals> though this depends upon the
good-nature of the lodger. Many of these petty
chiefs, when they accompany their Ras or gover-
nor to a town, where they have no house of their
own, nearly ruin the inhabitants, by burning the
doors of their houses, tables, cattle-pens, &c. for
fire- wood, drinking their maize or «oti*a, or killing
their sheep. On these occasions, no one complaind'
to the governor, for fear of having bis premises
burned altogether, and himself chained and
brought into some unjust law-suit, which would
inevitably drain him of his last farthing.
In all towns, there is a person appointed by the
rulers of the place, to find out and conduct all
strangers to lodgings, called kordarey and he who
holds this (^ce is provided for by the house-
keepers of the town, who give him one piece of
salt per year ; on all holydays, also, he calls upon
them for drink, and a piece of meat for his family,
a sheepskin, &c. To those who most oblige him
he seldom, if he can possibly help it, sends lodgers ;
166 CONVERSATION WITH THE KING.
while those who displease him are sure^ on the
arrival of any chief, to have soldiers of the worst
principles quartered in their habitations.
February 14. 1 arrived at Axum; where, finding
the Ras had just gone to the king, I and Mr.
Coffin went also to the king's doss. We im-
mediately obtuned admittance, and were ordered
to sit down on the same spot as in our first audi-
ence. The king then began to ask me several
questions ; enquiring, what could be the motive of
the king of our country for sending presents to
Itsa Guarlu, whom he had never seen in his life,
and exclaiming Feringee tunealiner, [Euro-
peans are cunning ones]. I replied, "Chirking
is great and charitable to all poor Christians."
" Great !'' said the king, *^ is he so powerful as
Welled Selass^ V At which the old Ras laughed,
and said, " He tells me that all Ethiopia is
nothing to compare to him, and that I am not so
powerful as one of his Allicars;*' meaning a
governor or commander. ^^ If so,*' said the king,
" why does he not put an end to all followers of
Mahomet r' " Ganvar*," I replied, "the Eng-
lish never compel people to religion by force, but
by pointing out to them the true religion, fipom
the Holy Scriptures ; persons thus converted can
* Ganvar and Itsa are titles of the king.
FONDNESS OF THB RAS FOR CHESS. 167
[ be depended upon^ while those who are forced
#ould only watch an opportunity of revenging
themselves on their oppressors/' *' Very true,''
rejoined be^ '' bat it would be a good thing to
giye them a sound beating, and knock their
towns down, or bum them, to let them see that
the followers of Christ are more powerful under
Amlac Hill, [the Supreme Being] than the fol-
towers of Mahomet are." After discoursing ibr
some time upon the manners of the nobility, and
the discipline of my countrymen, subjects to the
king, &c. &c., he appeared greatly astonished at
the answers I gave him, though he seemed to
attach but little credit to what I said.
As it was late in the afternoon, I went to piy
own tent, after accompanying the Has to his dassj
where he immediately began to play at chess,
which forms his chief amusement throughout the
year, Sundays and holydays not excepted, save
dviring the fifteen days' fast for the Blessed Virgin,
in August ; when he never plays either at chess
or gibbertay his two favourite games.
February 16th. The holyday, Ke.dan-er-
merrit. The head priest persuaded the Ras to
occupy the very large house of the late Nebrid
Aram, then in possession of my friend, Ozoro
Duster, daughter of Nebrid Aram, and niece to
the Ras. To this the Ras consented, and Ozoro
168 OZORO DUSTER ENTERTAINS THE RAS.
Duster occupied the house of Ozoro Wolleta
Alassa^ her mother^ and the sister of the Ras,
built within the [Same walls. I entered the hall^
with the Ras leaning upon my arm, where the
Ozoro had prepared an entertainment for him ;
the table was abundantly furnished, and, on the
entrance of the Ras^ she rose from the couch she
had been sitting on, covered with fine carpets
and pillows, which she had previously got ready
for his reception. As I sat close by Ozoro at
dinner, I had no occasion to put my hand to the
table to feed myself, for she was kind enough ixy
spare me that trouble ; and, after the hall was
cleared, she begged of the Ras to let her give me
lodgings within the walls. Saying, ^^ He is very
ill, and he will be better in my house, where I
can give him what he wants: these cold nights^
I am sure, must hurt any body that has been so
ill as he has of late.'' The Ras, knowing our
intimacy for more than two or three years, told
me to bring my clothes and two servants, and to
let the horses, mules, &c., be provided for in the
camp. . Ozoro Duster made a very low bow to
the Ras, to convince me how much she was
pleased with such an opportunity of shewing me
her constancy. She was formerly the wife of
Subegadis, whom' the Ras had given to her as a
husband, when he entered into an alliance with that
THE KINO-SNAKE. 169
chief; but, the littter rebelling about three years
after their marriage, the old gentleman sent a great
force^ and, by a sudden attack on the premises,
during the absence of her husband, brought
her to Ant&lo, where I first became acquainted
with her.
Notwithstanding the rebellious life of her hus*
band^ she always loved him very much ; the Ras
often persuaded her to take another husband, whom
he would pick out for her, but I have heard her
myself declare to him that she would never marry
while Abba Garre, meaning Subegadis, was alive;
whose vaunted name was taken from the first
horse he rode to war in his youth, called Abba
Garre Barra.
In the evening, while sitting with Ozoro, she
told me a number of silly tales about Axum,
among others a long story about the large snake
that ruled the country. At the time this snake
was king of Ethiopia, she said, all persons were
their own masters, and used of their own free
will to carry their tribute to the snake, which
sometimes resided at Temben, though Axum was
the favourite residence of the two. She likewise
told me that the learned priests say, that this
king-snake is still alive, but that, being angry
with the people on accoimt of their sins, he con-
fines himself to the hollow mountain close to
VOL. I. I
irO THE KINO-SNAKE.
Axum. She also promised to show me the
troughs out of which the snakes used to eat and
drink ; a kindness I thanked her for, though I
could not altogether keep from laughing.
In the mornings however, she begged of Ito
Guebra Middin^ her younger brother, to. take me
to this sacred place, and accordingly we went to
tiie camp, saddled our mules, and set off. In'
about half an hour after, ascending the hill, by
the pool, we passed Calun Negus, a little to our
right, and in a quarter of an hour came ta the.
spot, where Guebra Middin began to point out to
me what he considered as very wonderful things.
In this place stands a large flat rock of granite^
as level upon the top as a platform, and at the end
of this there is another rock, intermixed with red
earth and gravel, with a deep ravine in the centre^
apparently occasioned by the rains, which fall in a
stream from a great height above the platform*
In the middle of this granite rock are three large
round troughs, neatly cut, about three feet deep,
and about three and a half in diameter, which
I suppose to have been made by the ancients to
prepare some kind of cement in for building: but
Guebra Middin gave me a veiy different story,
which r affected to believe, for fear of creating a
quarrel between me and Ozoro, his sister. He
informed me that one of those troughs held the
THE KINO-SNAKE. 171
milk^ another sherro and bread JU/itf or cooked
victuals and bread maehed up together, while
the third was the one from which the snake used
to eat cusho every two months, cusho being the
floor used to kill the tape-worm, without taking
which every two months the Abyssinians could
not live, though they have other medicines, made
from bark of trees and bulbs, but none so effective
as cttsho in Amhara, or hobbe in Tigr^.
On returning to Ozoro Duster, I pretended to
believe all I had seen and heard of the king-snake,
as I knew it would be folly to argue with such
superstitious people. What made the joke better
was, that when we were talking on the same
subject at the Ras's, there happened to be an
old man, a servant to the head Negade of the
Ras's at Adowa, who had come with some money
to the Ras, and, on his hearing the story, he told
the Ras, that when he was a boy, and had not
been long bought by his master, Buggerund Yanne,
a Feringee came to his master's house, of the
name of Yagoube, and his master told.Yagoube
about this snake being still alive, and living in
the rocks near Axum, and that it used to come
out of its den in the night ; upon which Yagoube
swore he would shoot him, if Yanne would give
him a guide. The lad was accordingly sent
with some other boys, the former carrying
i2
172 THE KING-SNAKE.
Yagoube's double-barrel gun and plenty of pow-
der and shot. When they came to the spot, they
watched until they all went to sleep except the
servant lad, when two large gibsy hyenas, came
grunting and fighting together; the lad cried out^
'* Sidi Yagoube ! sidi Yagoube!" The rest, being
suddenly awakened, and hearing the growling of
the hyenas, thought that the noise they heard was
the snake devouring Yagoube j so they set oflF,
and never stopped until they got within the
church-yard of Axum, leaving him and Yagoube's
only servant to search for him, but they saw no
snake. After what had happened, Yagoube was
ashamed to go into Axum, as the priests had
heard that he was killed by the snake, and they
would have been angry with him for pretending
to do as he wished. The party therefore returned
to Adowa, and Yagoube obtained leave to take the
boy with him to Gondar, and to the Essneer
Abby Suhkulla, where he remained Mdth him
until he went to Sennaar. The boy and some
others went with the Feringee as far as Ras-el-
feel, and as he gave them good wages they wished
to have gone with him, but he would not take
them. The old man who told this story was
named Sasenas, formerly a Galla Slave to Bug-
genmd Yanne, a Greek, Ras Michael's trea-
surer.
MEETING OF CHIEFS AT CHURCH. 173
February 21st. Fit-aurari Suddal arrived from
Walkayt^ and was received by the Ras in a
manner suitable to his rank. At supper-time,
before we had begun to eat, Asgas Sedit came
from the king, desiring the Ras and Suddal to
attend at the church that moment, for, as it was
the holyday dedicated to the Blessed Virgin,
it would render all the agreements they entered
into more sacred, and, the king having warned the
priests of the proposed visit, the party found the
church illuminated on its arrival. The king, the
Ras, Suddal, Asgas Se^t, and the high-priest,
were left by themselves seated in the middle of
the church, where they discoursed for nearly
three hours,' taking oaths before the chief-priest,
who ordered them to appear next morning to take
the capital oath, as that ought not to be done in
secrete
We returned about midnight, when all went to
their respective lodgings, except Suddal, who
came back with the Ras to supper, after which,
before the Ras could go to sleep, Ito Russo came
and insisted upon having some private conver-
sation. He, being Ae chief with whom the Ras
consulted on all private occasions, was admitted,
and every body ordered out but myself, as I had
for more than three years past been allowed the
privilege of remaining with the Ras, during the
174 THE CRYING GROSS.
most secret discourses^ either respecting his allies
or his own affairs. Ito Russo began by repri-
manding the Ras for his misconduct, telling him^
that he would ruin himself and country by being
connected with Tecla Gorgis. " You know/' said
he, ^' the oaths he takes are like a drink of water
to him, and how many persons has he ensnared
and destroyed by his total disregard of every
species of obligation I" But the only reply the old
gentleman could make was, ^^ It's done now ; we
must cross the Tacazz^ and look well after him in
future." Ito Russo, on going out from the Ras^
said several times over, ^^ God give you wisdom^
master!" after w^hich the Ras lay down to
sleep.
February 22nd. The king, the Ras, and those
mentioned the night before, met at the churchr
gate, where numbers of chiefs and priests were
present. The priests of the gidcUun were all
dressed in their holy apparel, and as the sun got
warm, being about ten o'clock, the priests were
standing in a row before the church-door, upon
the steps, when the crying cross was brought out
and uncovered. The king first ascended the
steps and kissed it ; the Ras followed his exam-
ple, Suddal next, and then all the rest concerned
in the oath followed iheir example. This cross,
called the Crying Cross of Axum, is believed by
TRICKS OF THE PRIESTS. IH
the weak-minded people 'to cry whenever it is
used upon these and similar occasions* Many
people coming from a great distance pay a large
sum to be allowed to kiss it, imagining that their
sins are thereby washed away. Indeed, there is
so mudi anxiety to see this cross, that even those
for off will call out to the priests, " For God's
sake hold it up higher that we may see it!'' I
suspect that those crafty wretches anoint this
erosB with some thick oily substance, which,
when held in the sun, melts and shines like
drops of water, but, no one being allowed to
touch it except a priest or a monk, it is impossible
that the cheat can be discovered*.
In the year 180/, I was upon a visit with the
Ras, on our miarch from Adowa to the sacred
excavated church, Jummuddo Mariam, where there
is a picture of the Virgin Mary suckling her child,
probably painted in the time of the Portugueze,
as the workmanship differs from that of the pre-
sent Abyssinian artists. This picture is placed in
a window, behind which is a dark place, and the
priests told the Ras and the chiefs with him, that
when any sinful persons were looking at it, it
trembled violently. As I saw it myself at the
time shake terribly, I looked about to see if I
could discover any place of entrance, to get at the
back of it, and soon observed a monk crawling out
176 TRICKS OF THE PRIESTS.
of a very small opening in an obscure place; so^
when I imagined no one took notice, I crawled in>
and, after turning round one dark corner^ observed
a priest behind the picture, shaking it every now
and then with apiece of string. I dared not to in-
terrupt him, but being satisfied went out again.
I did not forget to tell the Ras of this afterwards.
He said that he believed it, " but it will not do,"
said he, '^ to quarrel with these rascals, for if I
were to set them against me, I should not long be
Ras."
The oath having been taken before the whole
population, the drum was beat, to be ready to
march in two days time.
CHAPTER V.
Pearce is obliged by ill health to leave the Ras and return to
Adowa — ^He is joined by his wife — Recovers and sets out for
Enderta — ^His reception by a Village Chief— Asgas Qiggar—
Pearce's party refused accommodation by a Fanner — Custom
of Soldiers to quarter themselves on Farmers — ^Mountain of
Awaro— Arrival at Chelicut — Sudden death of two Servants,
attributed to ghosts or devils — Illness and death of Pearce*s
son — Qlfts — ^Funeral Ceremonies — Rapacity of the Priests —
Death of Ito Debbib> the Ras*s brother — Cry held for him —
Mourning.
As I was at this time very ill and apparently
getting worse^ the Ras persuaded me to return to
Adowa with Blitingatore Woldi Gorgis^ the gover-
nor of the town, but, notwithstanding my ill fate, I
be^ed he would take me with him, even if he was
obliged to havejne carried upon a littery and said if
I died he would know the end of me, to which
the old gentleman would have consented, had not
Ito Russo and several of the chiefs persuaded him
and me, that it would be the greatest folly to be
the means of my own death. It being at length
agreed that I should go to Adowa, the Ras sent
for Blitingatore Woldi Gorgis, and ordered him
in my presence to give me every thing that I
might stand in need of, and said loudly in the
hearing of numbers, " If you do not look to him
I 5
178 PEARCE RETURNS TO ADOWA.
as you would to me, I shall be very sorry/' On
taking leave of him^ he said, " Trust in God, and
keep up your heart, and I shall find you well on
my return."
I left the camp, and the Ras and his army
marched the same day: sometimes my people
carried me upon a couch, when the road was
very bad, but, when good, I rode my mule.
We arrived at Adowa, late in the evenings the
governor, who had arrived in the forenoon, had
procured lodgings for me against my arrival, as
also for my people, mules, and horses. I had
every thing that I could wish for, and inune-
diately sent for my wife Tringo, from Enderta.
She arrived in six days, and with her medical aid
and some simples, the use of which she had
learned from old women, I soon began to find
myself better ; and in the course of a few days, I
could go about. Blitingatore came several times
to see me, and indeed did not neglect in the least
the Ras's orders.
Being quite recovered, I begged to take leave
of him for Enderta, but he for some time wished
me to remain until the Ras should return, the
road to Enderta being very unsafe, as Asgas
Giggar had quitted the camp and returned to his
district without the Ras's approbation, and it
was supposed that he intended to join Subegadis,
CAMP. 179
though, until now, he had not quitted his own
district. Ito Musgrore of Basanate, and the
whole of Arramat, had been lefk to look after the
movements of Subegadis, who, though, as usual,
he had denied the dominion of the Ras, remained
quiet in his own province of Agarn^, while his
brother Guebra Guro was with the Ras and in
great favour. However, I persisted in my in*
tention, and the governor gave me leave to de-
part, after passing our feast, Fassegar Awasum,
Ascension Sunday, which concluded the great
Lent.
We left Adowa, after taking leave of Blitinga-
tore Woldi Gorgis ; and, in the evening, as is
customary for all people high or low, I formed a
small camp opposite to the house of the chief of
the village. There were a great number of
people with me, besides my own fifty shields-men
and fourteen muskets ; there were also twenty-
two of the Ras's soldiers, who had been left
behind ill, and nearly two himdred women, who,
wishing to be in Enderta by the arrival of the
Ras, and hearing the road was unsafe, had taken
the opportunity of coming with me. We had not
been seated long before the chief of the village
came out, dressed in black, being, as I afterwards
learned, in mourning for his wife, whom he had
buried a few days before. Upon hearing this.
180 TASSU.
the whole of our troops formed themselves into a
circle, the women on one side and the men upon
the other, and kept about ten minutes' cry ^ after
which I was ordered into a large doss, my feet
were washed, and, although the old man seated
himself upon the ground, he insisted that I should
sit upon his sofa. My host was named Yassu ;
he was formerly Fit-aurari to Ras Michael, and a
near relation of Ras Welled Selass^. I had been
acquainted with him for several years; he was
always a very jocular old boy, and now, notwith-
standing the late death of his wife, with whom he
had lived more than fifty years, he began his usual
jokes, and, seeing my wife seated by my side^ he
said, ^^ Ah ! I lost as good a wife the other day
as ever your Tringo was ; she would sit from
morning to evening without ever getting up,
during which we would drink out two large jars
of maize; and then, what nice victuals she used
to cook !"
In the morning, when I wanted to start, he in-
sisted upon my taking the road of Giralta, saying,
that Ito Debbib, the Ras's brother, being very ill,
his son Ito Dimsu had returned from camp^ and,
although he had more than a thousand men with
him, he was obliged to take the road round by
Mugga in Giralta, for fear of Asgas Giggar. I
swore that I would not alter my route^ and that
AS6AS OIGOAB. 181
if Asgas intended to Btop the public road in
defiance of the Ras^ he might begin with me. I
accordingly set out^ and, about two o'clock in the
afternoon, we came to the district of Asgas Giggar*
We halted by the river Warn, whence we could
see Asgas^ sitting upon the wall that was in front
of his house^ upon the mountain above us. I
sent two boys to him, with two horns, ordering
them to give my compUments, and beg that he
would have the goodness to fill the horns with
maize } and, in about an hour and a half, they re-
turned with them filled, and one of Asgas's
men^ with two fine goats and two sheep. He told
me that his master greatly wished me to pass the
remainder of the day and night at his houses ^^but
you know,'^ said he, ^^ the country people would
raise some false report against you, if you were
to enter my master's house," adding, ^^ Ito Dimsu
was afraid to pass, and went by the roundabout
way, but my master may be offended with the
Ras, his uncle, without turning rebel." After
thanking his master for the sheep, goats, and
maize, we again set out and travelled very cheer*
fuUy.
The women and several of the men had been
greatly frightened before we passed Asgas Giggar's
district, but now began singing, *^ To Pearce the
same luck as our Maker has given to the Ras !"
182 ALTERCATION WITH A FARMER.
This song lasted until we 'reached Gullybudda
nearly at dark. The governor of the town having
gone to the camp^ I could get no good lodgings ;
so I sent to one of the Ras's arristies, or farmers^
a very rich man who denied himselfi and sent his
daughter to tell my servant that her father had
gone to Antfdo that very day, and would not re*
turn for a week. This I knew by experience to
be the customary scheme, so I sent word back to
the woman, that, as her father had gone to Antklo,
she must get the house ready for my accommo-
dation, and that I would take care of it imtil he
returned, as I could not think of leavii^ the Ras^s
cattle exposed to the danger of being taken by
Asgas Giggar, who, she knew, had refused to
follow the Ras to war, and deserted from the
camp. I likewise sent her orders to get my
supper ready directly. My servant soon came
back running, and the old farmer, his son-in-law,
and several ploughmen, advancing slowly; as they
approached they threw their cloths from their
shoulders, and fastened them round their waists.
I ordered my people to tell them not to come near
me empty-handed ; however, they bowed to the
ground, and put stones upon their necks, upon
which I could not help allowing them to advance^
though much to the discontent of my soldiers, who
wanted me to make a market of the old rascal, by
QUARTERING OF SOLDIERS. 1S3
insisting upon having ten cows for denying him-
self. This I had authority enough to do in this
part of the Ras's dominions; but^ being rather
more humane than the Abyssinians generally are
on such occasions, I refused to follow their advice.
So, when the old man came up, he first began
cursing his daughter, saying she had made a mis-
take, but had not wilfully denied him. I told him
that I could not overlook the affair altogether,
but that he must make some amends for his fault :
he then offered two fat goats, besides supper for
all the soldiers who were with me. This was re-
fused, and, after some hesitation, he brought a
cow with the goats, which also I ^refused, as she
was not fat enough. At last he brought us a fat
one, which I received, and, after promising not to
acquaint the Ras with his denying himself to me,
we got our supperi^, with plenty of sowa to drink,
but I kept the cow and goats for the next day.
In Abyssinia it is a custom, even when the
king, Ras, or governor, are at home, for their
soldiers to form themselves into small parties and
put one, whom they consider worthy, at their
head, and go into the country from farmer to
farmer, living at free quarters, no one daring to
deny them, unless they are too exorbitant and
unreasonable in their demands. On these occa-
sions the villagers will give a general alarm, and
184 * QUAaTERING OF SOLDIERS.
raise the neighbouring villages to their assistance,
and many lives are often lost on both sides. When
this reaches the ears of the governor, he has both
parties brought before him, and, if it is proved
by oath, that the farmer offered them every thing
reasonable, such as a kid, bread, and sowa, the
soldiers are severely punished, their arms are
taken from them, and they are dismissed; and
should they have killed any of the people, those
who struck the fatal blow are given over to the
relations of the sufferers or sufferer ; but, on the
contrary, should the farmer have refused to give
them a supper and even lodgings, he is fined per-
haps more than he is able to pay.
I left Gullybudda in the morning, and about an
hour afterwards I halted at the river Guddegudda^
which runs through the plain between Gullybudda
and the foot of the mountain Awaro. Here I
ordered the cow to be killed, and numbers of the
women, who had not had any supper over-night,
now received plenty of brindo; in less than two
hours there was nothing left but the bones and
skin, the latter being the perquisite of the chel-
licar sigaTy master of the meat, which he sells to
the leather-maker. We left the river Guddegudda
about mid-day, the sky being very cloudy, and,
about half past one, we began to ascend the
mountain Awaro, which divides Dova from Kala^
MOUNTAIN OF AWARO. 181^
meaning the cold and high country of Enderta
from the low and warm country of Tigr^. The
road up the mountain is very bad^ but a good mule
will carry its rider up or down with safety. We
stopped^ for about an faour^ at the church Kedan-
er-merrit^ half way up the mountain^ which is
almost hidden with large trees ; there are several
caves in the sides of this ridge of mountains^ like
excavations^ but Nature has formed them^ and they
are converted into churches and dwellings for Aar-
tones, or virgin-monks. They cannot be seen at
any distance, either from above or below, being
entirely hidden by shrubs and trees that grow
wild from the projecting rocks.
About four o'clock we arrived at a village in a
plain upon the highest part of the mountain, and,
although the cold was intense, we were obUged to
stop before we could descend to a warmer spot,
some of my women-servants being tired, and not
having yet come up the mountain. This village
belonged to a son of Shum GiraltaToclu, who had
been left behind to look after the country, while the
father was at camp. I sent to him, immediately
on learning where he was ; being, as he pretended,
unwell and at a great distance, he said he could
not come, but he sent me a goat, some bread, and
a jar of maize.
Next morning I set out early, and, in about
186 MEN KILLED BT GHOSTS.
four hours^ came to the river Gibba. It being
about ten o'clock^ we halted^ and killed a sheep
and baked some berenters. After we had eaten,
we agaui set out about twelve o'clock, and on our
Toad we had a sharp shower of rain,' which gave
us a good wetting.
About four o'clock I arrived at my own house
at Chelicut, where I found my gatekeeper and
gardener had ^ed four days before, and the
superstitious people wanted to persuade me that
they were killed by ghosts, or devils, as they
were both found dead together in the morning,
after going to bed in perfect health, and having
no signs of any wound upon their persons. The
priests obliged me to let my people fire off all the
fire-arms into the house, before any one should
enter, and then to kill a sheep upon the ground-
floor, and let the blood run upon the ground, and.
also drink out a jar or two of maize; to all of
which I immediately agreed, knowing the extent
of their superstition upon such occasions.
In all parts of Abyssinia, it is customary when
any ne:w house is built, or a building has been left
uninhabited for some time, and where there have
been cattle killed and drink distributed, to kill a
cow or a sheep, and distribute it within the
buildings, which it is presumed satisfies the ghost
of the place, who leaves the dwelling in peace;
ITO DEBBIB. 187
but, when such places become neglected, it haunts
thera. and kills those whom it finds within the
"walls ; and in this opinion every inhabitant at
Abyssinia will firmly persist against all reason
wliatever.
iMy neighbours brought me plenty of bread,
coolsLed victuals, and maize. The head*priest,
Allicar Barhe, and Asgas Gabri Yasous, the
Ras's steward at Chelicut, maintained me
three days, imtil I got my house put to rights,
and even gave the women and strangers, who
came with me firom Adowa, a lodging and sup-
per.
Being informed that Ito Debbib, the Ras's only
brother living, was very ill, I went every morn -
ing to see him, and returned about noon, it being
a long ride, but over a level plain, after getting
over the mountain of Comfu. One day, he pre-
vailed on me to remain all night, but in the
morning I begged to leave him to go and see my
son, who was very ill also, and I promised him to
return the same day. Upon my arrival at home
I found my boy very ill, a great deal worse than
he was when I left him; he brought this illness
from Antklo, where I had sent him with his
mother, a Galla slave, to live with a friend until
we should return from camp. On this occasion
a very extraordinary circumstance happened;
188 DEATH OF PEARCE's SON.
while I was sitting by the poor boy, a servant <l
Ito Dimsu entered the house with the blool
running down his cheeks, crying bitterly, Guiiyl
gmty ! [Master I master !] Hearing this, I
ordered my horse to be saddled, knowing before
he spoke that his master was dead. As I wsur
going to mount, and had got one foot in th^|
stirrup, I heard a cry all of a sudden from the
people whom I had left in the house, in the Am-
hara language, Lighol ligho! [Your son! your
son !] I returned into the house, and perceived
that the breath had departed from my poor boy,
the only child God had been pleased to bestow
upon me. Never in my life did I experience such
a shock, though I strove to refrain from sorrow,
but to no purpose. The sight of the poor dead
boy I loved so dearly, and the disappointment of
the expectations I had formed of his proving^
on a future day the only comfort I should have,
afflicted me so much that I really wished to die
with him.
Ito Dimsu's servant saw the whole melancholy
affair, and went off without saying a word, and
the townspeople came flocking in crowds, until
both the house and yard were full ; for my ow»
part I could not bear the sight of any one ; I
would rather have been left by myself, but that
was impossible. The priests came, and the cus-
FUNERAL CEREMONIES. 189
tomary prayers were read^ and my poor child was^
carried away to be buried, his mother following
in a distracted manner.
After the funeral, the people returned to my
house ; and after they had cried for about half an
hour, I begged they would leave off and let me.
have a little rest, as I found myself unweU.
They complied, and left me with only a few
friends; but, in a few minutes, the people of
Antklo, my acquaintances, hearing of my mi«-
fortunes, came flocking and began their cry, and
1 was obliged to sit and hear the name of my
dead boy repeated a thousand times, with cries
that are inexpressible, whether feigned or real.
Though no one had so much reason to lament as
myself, I could never have shown my grief in
so affected a manner, though my heart felt
much more.
Before the cry was over, the people with dewes
were standing in crowds about my house, striving
who should get in first, and the door was entirely
stopped up, till at last my people were obliged to
keep the entrance clear by force, and let only one
at a time into the house. Some brought twenty
or thirty cakes of bread, some a jar of maize^
some cooked victuals, fowls, and bread, some a
sheep, &c. ; and in this manner, I had my house
filled so full that I was obliged to go out into
190 BEVVES.
the yard^ until things were put in order ai
supper was ready. The head-priest came wH
a jar of maize and a cow.
What neighbours and acquaintances bring k
the manner aboFe-mentioned is called clewe^
the bringers are all invited to eat with you ; tbe^
talk and tell stories to divert your thoughts fnxi
the sorrowful subject; they force you to drink i
great deal; but I have remarked that at these
cries, when the relatives of the deceased become
a little tranquil in their minds, some old woman,
or some person who can find no one to talk tXH
win make a sudden dismal cry, saying, ^^ Ob
what a fine child ! and is he already forgotten! "*
This puts the company into confiisioi^ and all
join in the cry, which perhaps will last half an
hour, during which the servants and conunon
people, standing about, drink out all the maize,
and, when well drunk, will form themselves into
a gang at the door and begin their cry; and if
their masters want another jar of maize to drink
they must pour it out themselves, their servants
being so intoxicated that they cannot stand. In
this manner they pass away a day without taking
rest.
* The whole of this scene bears a most femarkable similarity
to the ceremonies observed at the funerals of the lower orders o
Trish.^^c&Vor. !
BURIALS. ' 191
^ i must say^ however^ that the first part of the
laneral is very afiecting^ and the only feult I can
find is^ that they bury their dead the instant they
iiexpire. If a grown person of either sex, or a
spriest, is by them when they expire, the moment
f^e br^h departs, the cries and shouts, which
Aiave been kept up for hours before, are recommen-
^ced with fury; the priests read prayers of forgive-
Miess^ while the body is washed, and the hands
i^put across one another, upon the lower part of
^'the belly, and tied to keep them in that position,
the jaws tied as close as possible, the eyes closed,
^ the two great toes tied together, and the 'body is
wrapped in a clean cloth and sewed up; after
which the skin called neet, the only bed an
Abyssinian has to lie upon, is tied over the cloth,
and the corpse laid upon a couch and carried
to the church, the bearers walking at a slow pace^
According to the distance of the house from the
church, the whole route is divided into seven
equal parts, and, when the^y come to the end of
every seventh part, the corpse is set dovm, and
prayers of forgiveness oflFered to the Supreme
Being for the deceased. Every neighbour helps
to dig the grave, bringing their own materials for
the purpose, and all try to outwork one another*.
Indeed, when a stranger happens to die where he
has no acquaintances, numbers always flock to
192 EAPACITY OP THE PRIESTS.
assist in burying him^ and many of the towns*
people will keep an hour's cry^ as if they had been
related. There is no expense for burying^ as
every one assists his neighbour^ as I have men-
tioned above. But the priests demand an ex-
orbitant sum, from those who have property,
for prayers of forgiveness, and I have seen two
priests quarrelling over the cloth of a poor dead
woman, the only good article she had left. If a
man dies and leaves a wife and child, the poor
woman is drained of the last article of value she
possesses to purchase meat and drink for those
priests, for six months after her misfortune,
otherwise they would not bestow a prayer upon her
husband, which would disgrace her and render
her name odious amongst the lowest of the
populace. In this manner, I have known many
families ruined.
An Agow servant of Mr. Coffin's, who had
been left behind with me on account of ill health,
died at Chelicut, where he had formerly taken a
wife, and the Utile wages he had saved had
enabled him and his wife to keep a yoke of
oxen, she having a piece of land of her own.
Knowing the man to be very poor, and the greats
regard he had for his master, I was induced to
give a fat cow and a jar of maize to the priests, to
pray for the poor man's soul; this they took, and
BI&ATH OP ITO DEBBIB« 193
the poor woman made what corn she had into
bread and beer for them, after which they re-
fused to keep their weekly fettart [prayers of
forgiveness] for a month, unless she paid them
fnore^ to complete which, and to satisfy these
wretches, she was obliged to sell her two oxen,
and the poor woman was again reduced to work
and labour hard with the pickaxe*
The drum having beat at Ant^o, for the peo-
ple to assemble at that place, to keep the cry for
the Ras':s brother, Ito Dcbbib, on the plain below
the town of Woger Arreva, where he died, on
the Thursday following his death, notwithstand-
ing the loss of my only son, I saddled my mule,
and joined in the cry, to show my respect, in
company with Ito Woldi Raphael, the Ras's
nephew, who had been left in charge of Wojjerat
against the invasion of the Galla, and who was
passing by Chelicut with his army, on his way to
the cry, when I was about starting*
He stopped a few minutes to cry for my boy,
and then we set out together for the plain, which,
upon our arrival, we found thickly covered with
people of both sexes. The argovery which is a
sofa arched over with canes and covered with silk
curtains, was just descending from the town,
which we could see at a distance, with numbers
of soldiers in the front firing their matchlocks ;
VOL, I, K
194 CRY FOB THE im^TH OF ITO DEBBIB.
and by the time we came up, the sofa was placed In
the customary position, and the carpets and other
articles of grandeur that belonged to the deoeased
were spread round about it. This sofa is to
imitate the bed on which the deceased died ; his
efBgy is also made and put upon one of his mules ;
his horses are led before with his musket-men,
the whole of his household following, with their
shields and spears, having nothing but a skin
round their waist, with their forehead and tem-
ples all torn, shouting and crying in a horrid
manner. The churches of the country send eadi a
devaly which is an article of taste, made of silk or
carpet stuff, in the form of an umbrella, and fixed
upon a long pole 3 and they pay the men who
bring them two pieces of salt each, all churches
having more or less of them according to. ancient
custom } but the church belonging to the town
or village where the deceased died sends all its
devals and public ornaments to grace the funeral.
There were three hundred and fifty standing at
this cry, which was considerably more than there
were at the cry of Ito Manassey, his brother, and it
was greatly talked of among the population. The
women are seated on these occasions in one large
body, and the men in another; they rise from
their seats, one at a time, and, after repeating
rhymes in honour of the deceased, the ceremony
FUNERAL CEREMONIES. 195
finishes with a lamentable cry £rom all the. as-
sembly.
There are numbers of ,men and women^ who
get a living by making rhymes and attending at
cries^ who are often sent for frotfk a great distance^
to attend the cry of a person of distinctipn ; and,
if they are noted poets, they receive high pay in
com^ cattle, or cloth* I am acquainted with a
very handsome middle-ag^d woman, who, though
she has a large estate to Uve upon, has studied
poetry from her infancy, and attends gratuitously
at all cries that are very public, and for 410 other
purpose than to diatiaguish herself. She is
reckoned the best poet, either in the Amh^a^or
Tigr£ language, in .the country; her pa^e is
Welleta Yasous ; she was bom in Gondar, but her
father was a Tigr^an. . Many great men have
offered to marry her, but she could never be per-
suaded to listen to their proposals, though I do
not mean to say she led a c)ia3te life, a very rare
virtue indeed in Ethiopia.
The Amhara people differ from the Tigr^ in
their manner of crying and weeping : that of the
latter is very affecting, but that of the former is
really ridiculous. They dress themselves as fine
as possible, and cry, sing, and dance, to the beat
of a drum ; when the cry is over, those who have
not far to return to their homes in general feast
K 2
1
J 96 MOURNING.
with the relatives of the deceased. When sucb
great people as Ito Debbib die^ a general cry is
held throughout the whole country, both in Am-
hara and Tigr^, and for three days' journey around
the people will bring devves to the relations.
The natives of Tigr^ are mwe accustomed to
wear mourning than the Amhara, and some, in-
stead of making mourning cloths, wear their cloth
until it is entirely black with dirt, and this serves
them for a mourning suit. They in general go
into mourning for sixty days : some wear a piece
of blue Surat cloth, such as the merchants bring
from the East ; but the true mourning suit of the
people of rank is a new white cloth, first dyed
yellow with waver y the wood of a tree, which the
monks use to dye their garments. When the
cloth is dyed yellow, it is again buried in a black
mud, common in all plains, called walkar; afker
remaining buried three days, it is taken out and
washed, but still remains black. Such suits of
mourning will last in a family for many years
they borrow and lend them also among friends.
Ito Debbib, being of a different religion from
the Ras, and his deceased brother, Manassey,was
not buried in the same church as Manassey, but
was taken to Surrova, and buried in a church
dedicated to Abuna Slathivus, belonging to those
who profess the religion Bate er Slathivus ; the
EXPIRATION OF THE CRY. 197
whole of Gojam profess this faith^ and nearly
half of the large province Hamazen.
After the expiration of the cry, which lasted
three days, I returned home to Chelicut with Ito
Woldi Raphael, that being his nearest way to
Antalo, where he wanted to go ; here we received
news that the Ras was upon his return, and en-
camped at the Tacazz^, near AvergaUe.
CHAPTER VI*.
Mr. CoflBn's Journal of the Expedition to Gondair — Departure
of th6 Army from Axuin— The River Tacazz6— River Moi
Lomin — Oranges — Cotton — Irrigation — Monkeys — Strong
Mountain of Chirremferrer — ^The Troops annoyed by Stones
rolled from the Mountwn — ^They take it by Storm — ^Fodder for
Cattle — Hay not known in Abyssinian-Dangerous mountain
roads — ^The Worari, or Foragers — Gudgauds, or Pits for con-
cealing Goods — ^Adventure of Pearce in a Gudgaud — ^Tree called
Genvarar; superstitious notion respecting it — Encampments
— ^The Ras enters Inchetkaub, the capital of Ras Guebra —
Arder Rummet, the capital of Walkayt — Reception by Woldi
Comfu — The Shangalla — Elephant-hunt-^tory of a Monk-
Strength of the Army — Sudden Death of Woldi Comfu^-A
Galla girl stolen from the Ras by his Nephew, Shum Temben
Sarlu — ^The Ras deprives him of his districts— Treaty with
Guxo and Ras Ilo — ^Beautiful Valley of Shoader.
February 24th. We struck our camp at Axum^
and marched by a forced march to Arder Sarfe,
thinking that if we made slow marches Ras
Guebra would be warned, and would have time to
drive the cattle out of the country to his strong
mountains. This is a small district in Barrerquor,
belonging to Ito Sallander^ one of the grandsons
of the king M inicuffa, who provided for the Ras
every thing that his little district could afford.
The next day we marched to a small plain, called
* For the whole of the account of the Ras's expedition to
Gondar, which occupies this and the next chapter, Pearce is in-
debted to the kindness of Mr. Coffin, he himself having never
been nearer to Gondar than the mountains of Samen. — Editor,
THE RIVER MOI LOMIN. 199
Aidersarhi^ about six miles from the large and
capital town of Mumfrets^ in Shir^ ; here we en*
eamped among high rushes and fine grass^ and
were provided for by Chellica Comfu, of the
Raa's household, the commander of that district.
The following day we marched to the Tacazz^^
which we crossed^ and encamped upon the west
banlc, where some petty chiefs, under the Ras's
doDoinkoi, brought him two cows, some maize,
and bread.
In the morning, our Fit^aurari marched before
daylight, and the Ras after sunrise. On account of
the king, who had his &FOurite wife Ozoro Cott-
ser with him, he had two small tents always
pitched at a small distance in the rear of the Ras's
tent. Our road lay to-day nearly south, and
seldom far from the Tacazz^. The Worari foraged
in aU directions; and several hundred sheep and
goats, and a few cows, were brought, in the
evening, into the camp at Moi Lomin, a beautiful
little narrow river, which rises in the different
mountains of Sainen, and runs very rapidly into
the Tacazz^. Moi Lomin signifies Water Oa
Limes 5 Buckerer Lomin would signify Water of
Oranges. Many sour oranges, and vast quantities
of limes, grow in different spots of garden-ground,
for several mUes in its vicinity. It is a deep
valley, not in the least affected by the cold from
200 MONKEYS.
the mountains, A great deal of cotton is coltT^
vated on the banks of this river ; it is watered by
cuts from above^ or small channels about- two feet
wide^ which Tun along the sides of the mountain,
and enable the inhabitants to water the ground
with little trouble. In all parts of Abyssinia,
indeed, during the dry season, the lands are
watered in a similar manner, when near the riyers,
and some grounds frequently grow two crops of
any sort of grain. The corn that is obtained in
the dry seasons by irrigation is called, in Tigr^,
tqffagi; but this corn is not so much esteemed
as t(iff^ currwrnptj which is the com produced after
the rains have fallen.
We passed our Sunday in this delightful spot,
where I shot some monkeys of a beautiful kind^
called warg. They have a white beard, black
face, yellow hairy body, and a long tail, with a
brush of white long hair at the extremity, the
skin on the belly being of a bluish silver colour.
I kept one of these animals for three years, with
several other kinds of monkeys, but I found none
so cleanly and cunning as the first. The chil-
lerdeTy another native of Samen, is also a very
clean animal for a monkey ; this is of large size,
with a black face, very dark brown hair, and a red
bare cross on the breast, and it has a very particu-
lar cry when calling to its companions, or to its
STRONG MOUNTAIN OF CHIRREMFERRER. 201
young when fearful. I kept one of them for a
long time^ but the continual mischief she did me
and my neighbours caused me to grow weary of
her^ and> after breaking a looking-glass belonging
to a lady of Chdicut, an article that could not be
replaced in this country, I^ in my anger, set my
dogs upon her, who devoured her immediately.
I did this more to satisfy my neighbours than
from any personal motive, for, often before, when
I had tied the animal for her mischievous tricks,
she would cry out Humu for hours together, so
distinctly, and look so pitiful, that I could not help
letting her loose again out of mere compassion.
March 1st. We left Moi Lomin, and marched
over the mountains to Chirremferrer, one of Ras
Guebra's strong mountains, but far inferior in
strength to Amba Hai. As the Worari ap-
proached this mountain, skirmishing with the
enemy, who were in large bodies driving their
cattle to the top of the mountains, numbers of
our men were killed and wounded by stones
thrown from the top of the mountain, some of
the largest of which did more execution than a
hundred muskets. In peace, as well as in war,
large piles of stones are kept upon these moun-
tains, and some very large ones are slung with
ropes round the edges of the precipices, so that
in case of an attack they are ready to be cut frorti
K 5
a02 ASCENT OF THE TROOPS.
behind the piles, or thrown, without, the natives
beii^ exposed to the enemy's fire-arms. Tk^
Worari were compelled to desist until th^ Fit-
aurari came up, when he also was obliged to halt
at a safe distance from the foot of the mountain^
but, on the Ras's approach, the shout of " Gover-
ser EadmsahV* was heard from all quarters of
the army, and the soldiers began to ascend like
•so many apes in all directions ; and, though num-
bers were killed and wounded. by the pieces of
large stone that came rolling down the sides of
the mountain, they gained a small hillock, where
they were out of danger of the stones that hung
in great piles from that side. Upon this hillock,
about thirty musket-men had already secured
themselves, and, with little difficulty shot anyone
who approached the piles in sight, iu Order to
throw down the stones. Several of the enemy
were shot in attempting to cut away some large
stones that were hung with stripes of cow's hide,
which beinj^ dried were so hard that they could
not be divided without great difficulty, exposing
those whoattempted it to the fire of our gunners.
I shot one of the enemy, while endeavouring to
disengage one of the stones ) he fell to the bottom
of the precipice, but I did not of course practise
the barbarity common on such occasions, for
which the Ras afterwards chided me, as he had
THE MOUNTAtN TAKEN BT STORM. 203
frequently done before^ at which times I have
taken the liberty of telling him that his country-
men^ who could thus mangle a dead body^ were
little better than brutes and cowards. I some-
times got the better of them in argument^ when
they would reply^ ^^ Our fathers hare shown us
the example^ as well as in eating raw meat^ and
neither force nor persuasion can make any alter-
ation .'' The king^ Itsa Isack^ formerly made a
proclamation^ by order of the Abuna^ that no per-
son should' eat raw meat, but he was glad to recal
it^ for even the priests rose against him.
The people upon the mountain Chirremferrer
were glad to relinquish the contest^ and give up
all their cattle, upon a promise that no one should
be killed after the gateway had been opened.
This mountain is small^ but a good defence
against such an enemy as the Amhara^ who
have little experience in the use of fire-arms.
The people of Samen are in general good gun-
ners, but not to be compared with the Tigr^
soldiers. After storming and plundering^ we
marched down to a small winding valley, where
we encamped. There not being more than forty-
six trophies produced before the Ras, he was
very ill-tempered, saying he had lost more men
than the enemy, and ordering those who were
advancing with their captives to be beaten by the
204 FODDER FOR CATTLE.
Gaffaries from the front of his tent. Here
every one began to live upon his own plunder^
and no one ate with the Ras except myself.
At this place we were obliged to feed our
horses and mules \xpongulliver [straw], which is
but poor food upon a march, unless it is good ta^
gulliver, which is excellent, and much resembles
hay. In the Tigr^ language it is called arser.
The inhabitants have no notion however of making
hay, in any part of the country, though they
might procure some stacks if they thought
proper. The piece of meadow ground I had at
Chelicut produced me, in the month of October,
a large rick of good hay, though I had always a
plentiful crop of green grass the whole year round,
having a stream of water from above that ran in
any direction in which I chose to turn it. I
found the hay agree much better with my cattle,
during the rains, but no one followed my example,
thinking their custom best. Both horses and
mules in all parts of Abyssinia are crammed, by
those that can afford it, every three days, with a
large lump of rock-salt, which is first pounded
and mixed with a little water, so as to make it
into a lump. Many of the Amhara will cram
their horses with barley-flour and honey mixed
together, but the pagan Galla feed their horses
with milk, though the common food of horses
DANGEROUS MOUNTAIN ROADS. 200
in the Christian countries is barley* Oats grow
wild^ and nothing is thought of them.
March 2nd. We left Chirremferrer and pur-
sued our march, sometimes having to climb up
very steep mountains. The Ras and the king were
often obliged to dismount^ while the people were
in continual danger of falling from the sides of
the steep mountains, which we had to traverse
round; numbers of horses, mules, and asses,
were thrown from oflf the precipices by the
crowd, and dashed to pieces, and I lost five asses,
with aH their loading, chiefly consisting of honey
and flour. I had the additional misfortune to
lose a bag of powder and shot, gun-screws, and
other useful articles, as well as my bed and a
sanga-s hide, which happened to be upon one of
the asses.
Notwithstanding the badness of the roads, the
Worari found their way in all directions, not a
village remained unbumed, nor was an animal of
any kind left to the poor owners, who fled for
their lives. We encamped in the district of
Arwozen, which always belongs to a Mahomedan
chief, the inhabitants being chiefly Mahomedans.
At this time Ras Guebra had placed a favourite
chief over it; but it by right belonged to Bashaw
Abdalla, whom he kept in chains upon Amba
Hai. Here some people, who had met the Ras
206 THE WORARI, OR FORAGERS.
^t Chirremferrer^ and to whom he had given a
tubbuck [an officer with an escort] to keep the
WOTari from plundering their town^ came in with
their tribute^ consisting of cattle^ cloths^ and
gold^ and acknowledged him their ruler^ and not
Ras Guebra. The Worari do not like this peace-
able work^ though numbers of them are killed
daily^ when engaged in burning and plundering.
It is perhaps proper that I shoidd here give
some description of the Worari. They consist of
different bodies under no particular command^
into which they form themselves as chance dU
rects ; but they are all soldiers belonging to the
different chiefs, as well as to the Ras or king.
So many of one mess or party will go foraging
for their commanders one day, while the others
look after the baggage, if they have any, which
is seldom the case, unless they have got it by
plunder ; and their women, while the men are
plundering, cut from trees boughs enough to make
a gqfa. I once went with my servants and a
party of the Worari upon one of their foraging
parties, merely to experience their nature, but
the Ras, upon hearing of it, was considerably
alarmed, and begged me never to repeat it.
It is a common custom, in all parts of Abys-
sinia, for the inhabitants of the villages to have .
gudgaudSf large pits under-ground, plastered
GUDGAUDS, OR PITS. 907
within with cow-dung and mud, and having the
mouth very nairow^ Bome of which are made to
hold forty or fifty chums of com^ between three
and four hundred English bushels* These gtut^
gauds are not only made near, the viUages and
towns^ but idso in the open fields^ and, when an
niTasion is expected, the com and other valuables
axe put into them^ and the mouths very care-
fully covered, first with spars laid close together^
so that no earth may fall through ; after which
the part above the spars is filled with earth to
bring it upon a level with the adjoining ground.
Should the spot happen to- be upon ploughed
land, then the whole is ploughed over and over
again to conceal the mouth of the gndgaud ; if
upon any other ground, it is made to appear like
the ground about it; or, if near the town or village,
wood-ashes and rubbish are thrown over it to
give it the appearance of a dunghill : but, as this
custom has prevailed for many years, and wars
are so frequent in all parts, the Worari have
become so well acquainted with the mode of
finding these hiding-places, that they scarcely
ever escape their obvervation. The way they
begin to work is as follows. After destroying a
village, or finding it deserted by the inhabitants,
they form into different parties, and, keeping in a
close body, begin to sing their own warlike songs.
d08 THE WORARI.
stamping and going on in a regular pace^ keeping
time with their song, and throwing their shields
over their heads^ and holding their spears close
to the end of the shaft with the bright glitterii^
blades in the air^ turning about at times in a
lively way, as if they were not in search of any
thing, but dancing and jumping for their pas-
time. I always thought this a beautiful sight.
In this manner they continue until they find the
ground sound hollow under their feet, when they
lay their shields in a circle round the spot^ and
every one sets-to with both hands, as eager as
hyaenas after their prey ; they soon claw out all
the earth, break in the rafters, and then begin
to fill their skins or bags : if they suspect any
danger from the natives being in ambuscade near
the place, to come upon them unarmed, they put
down two people at a time into the pit, till every
one has got his load, those above keeping a good
look-out. After all are well loaded they take no
farther care for their common safety, but set off to
the camp in a disorderly manner, which gives the
inhabitants an opportunity to kill those who fall
tired by the way. In general there is more
blood shed in Abyssinia among these straggling
parties of Worari than in their regular battles.
I have heard Mr. Pearce say that, when in Edjow,
in 1807^ he was once left in the gudgaud^ filling his
PEARCE IN A GUDGAUD. 209
hag, when a body of Galla horse made a charge on
the Worari, killing a great number, and driving
the rest to the side of the moimtain close by,
where they held their ground against the horse^
until happily for him a reinforcement by chance
came from the camp. During the whole affair
he sat, with his eyes towards the entrance of the
gudgaud, with his blunderbuss cocked and pointed;
till at last the horsemen retreated, and his com-
rades' shouts were distinctly heard, when, to
his great joy, he soon heard the tramp of their
feet over his head, and the next minute the cry of,
" Pearce, are you full? we have driven them
to the devil, but they have cut a great many of
us up V'
March 3rd. We left Arwozen, and marched
over the worst of mountains, as yesterday. The
Worari had been ordered not to advance in front
of the Fit-aurari, the Ras fearing they would all
be cut off by Ras Guebra's army, which had as-
sembled at Behader, with the view, not of giving
battle, which they dared not hazard, but of watch-
ing the motions of the Worari, and taking re-
venge on them. In the afternoon we reached
the top of a high mountain, extremely cold, but
having no snow upon it. The ridge of this
mountain joins Behader, and here we encamped,
on a plain that extends along the top of the
210 THE OENVARAR TREE.
mountain for a great distance. This mountaiii^
as well as other mountains in Samen^ has mim^
bers of the curious trees called genvarar, tliat
appear at a distance like naked men. The people
well never cut them^ owing to a superstilioua
prejudice they entertain that something bad
would in consequence befal them. I seldom saw
any of these trees above eight feet high. It is as.
well^ foolish as it may appear, for me to explain
the superstitious notions they entertain about
these trees, or trunks, as they have no bouglis.
They say that these trees contain evil spirits,
which have been cast out of human beings, and,
while they are not disturbed by being cut down,
they neither enter nor trouble any one, but when
cut down they again enter into some person out
of revenge, though it is believed not in general
into those who cut them down. This tree yields
a milky substance, which is used by way of ink,
for the purpose of writing charms, to be worn on
any part of the body as a cure for those who are
possessed by evil spirits, and to prevent their
entering those who are not previously tormented
with them. I have knovm people send a person
from Antklo and Chelicut, when any of their
family has been ill with a lingering sickness, to
fetch the milk or a piece of the genvarar from
the mountains of Samen.
METHOD OF ENCAMPMENT. 211
Tkfe day a great miinber of our tired asaea and
people were captured by the tnx^s of Raa
Guebra^ who had been dogging the rear as they
pfts^ed Behader without our dugin observmg
thesn. Dugm ui the name of the rear-guard of
an army, the principal chiefs daily taking the
coinmand of it in their turns. It enters the
oanip wbea nearly dark, and appears in as regukr
order a» their discij^oie admits before the Ras's
tent, where the duef dismounts and makes fait
obeiaanee at a great distance, and then marches
alone up to the Ras, and reports to him that all
is flftfe within the bounds of the camp. He after*
wards retires to his own quarters, unless he
•hould be asked to sapper, which seldom happens
antess he be a great ih^ourite.
The manner in which the Abyssinians encamp
is^ I iMnk, worthy of notice* When encamped
On a plain, which very rarely occurs in an enemy's
country, the whole scene has a somewhat orderly
appearance, though, at the best of times, it can-
not be called regular. The Fit-aurari, with the
advanced guard, always encamps three or four
miles in front of the main camp, their tents being
pitched with their front facing the way they have
to march. The king, or Ras, is always stationed
in the centre of the camp, in general upon the
highest spot) his btiggerund and chief blitin^
213 METHOD OF ENCAMPMENT.
gatorey his head secretary and treasurer, are in
front of his tetit^ at a short distance, his own
household and horses in the rear, and on the
sides of the tent and round the whole the soldiers'
gqfas are built in a circle, from the hinder part
of the blitingatore's camp, where there is left a
small entrance. All the other chiefs are en-
camped round about, so that their camps nearly
join each other. Every chief has a large square
tent with long lines ; no one makes his gqfa
within their length ; their soldiers are encamped
round them in a circle, and the horses and mules
are tied with ropes made of cow's hide, ^rhich
go roimd the neck of the animal. A small hole
is dug in the ground, as far down as the hand
from the elbow can reach, and a handful of grass
or straw is fastened to the end of the rope, and
then put into the hole to the bottom. They then
fill up the hole with earth and stones, and
beat it well down, which will more than resist
the strength of the animal, in case he should
take fright. This method the Abyssinians prefer
to a stake, or any other substitute.
March 3rd. We marched from this place a
little before sunrise, and, after descending the
mountain, which is not so bad on this side
as on the side we ascended, we got upon what
is reckoned a good road in this country. The
THE RAS ENTERS INCHETKAUB. 213
Worari had again been ordered^ by the beat of
the drum, not to advance in front of the Fit-
aurari. As we approached Inchetkaub, flocks
of priests came out to meet the Ras in their
holy garments, and holding their crosses un-
covered. They caused the Fit-aurari to stop
and not advance a step farther, until they had
seen the Ras, and, as the front of the army
approached them, they held up their crosses, for-
bidding any that were Christians to pass them.
Accordingly the chiefs, with their divisions,
turned aside and ^halted. The Ras, on coming
up, alighted from his mule and walked up in iront
of the priests, and made a bow to the cross, but
would not give ear to what they had to. say, telling
them merely, that he would not harm their capi-
tal, but make it his residence. The king Tecla
Gorgis passed by them with more haughtiness,
and never so much as stopped his mule, but called
out, ^^ Take down your crosses, and cover them
up,'* vyhich order they did not obey. The Ras
ordered by beat of drum not to plunder or bum
any part of the town, but commanded that every
chief should have such separate quarters as he
should think proper to point out; and we marched
in as if we were marching into Adowa or Ant&lo.
The women met the army in gangs, beating
drums, dancing, and singing in praise of the
S14 TREACHERY OF THE KING.
Badinsah, to thk e£Fect : — ^^ Badinsah has ten
thousand trophies, while Guebra is hui:^ upon
the mountain.''
The Ras entered Has Guebra's premises. His
wives, who had put themselves under the protec-
tion of the priests, were taken from them by
force and brought to the Ras. The king had a
part of the. premises for himself and train, some
symptoms of whose treachery had been plaiDly
pointed out to the. Ras,. in his haviji^ sent and re-
ceived private. messi^es from Has Guebra, then
in the mountain Amba Hai; upon this orders
were privately given by the Ras to his favourite
petty chiefs, who by turns kept guard every night
round his tent when in camp, to look strictly
into the king's motions, but as if they took no
particidar notice. The Ras directed his secretary
to collect all the chiefs under him in his tent, and
he did not enter a house that night, but had his
tent pitched vrithin the walk, in front af the great
aderrash^ a long thatched house, \vhich was oc-
cupied by the Ras's abbuzers, cooking-women,
maize-carriers, &c., and pointed out different
quarters for the chiefs in waiting. At supper,
the ladies belonging to Ras Guebra were all
presented to the Ras, I bdng present, but no per-
son besides. The Ras said very little to any of
them, except the oldest favourite wife of Ras
THE GREAT FAST, 215
<7aebra, with whom he discoursed upon the con-
tinual treachery of her husband towards him.
Kas Guebra kept more than sixty women^ but
not more than thirty three appeared this eveniiq^
at supper^ the others having made their escape
froin mistrust of the Ras^ and gone to Amba Hai.
After supper they all returned to their separate
apartments within the walls. One beautiful
Gralla, whom Ras Guebra had brought up and
educated under a priest of great learning, the old
gentleman recalled, and gave in care to Abbuzer
Hsral, the head-cook.
The next day, the Ras ordered the drum to
beat, to warn every body to be careful of their
provisions and what they had plundered, as they
would not quit this station for many days. The
great Lent, or fast, had begun several days be-
fore; I used to eat meat, being allowed it on
account of illness. The wotada will drink water
when upon a march, but not eat anything until
the proper hour, which is, when your shade is
nine times the length of your foot in the afternoon;
in other fasts it is more.
Fit-aurari Suddal being upon the march for
Walkayt, I obtained permission to go with him
for a few days, and returned with the Gusmati
Woldi Comfu.
March 6th. We left Inchetkaub early in the
216 COFFIN S RECEPTION BY WOLDI COMPU.
morning with not more than two hundred sol-
diers^ without any baggage^ having previously
sent e^-ery thing forward. We halted for the
night in a wilderness upon the skirts of the holy
land of Waldubba, leaving the Segudda to our
left. Before day-light we again set off^ and, after
marching through the wildest roads, arrived about
midday at a small village in Walkayt, where Fit-
aurari took some refreshment, it being Saturday,
on which day, as well as on Sundays, they do not
fast, but eat no flesh. When we had refreshed
ourselves we again set off, and marched though
numerous cotton plantations, watered from dif-
ferent small streams that run from the mountains.
At night, after dark, we arrived at Arder Rum-
met, the capital of Walkayt.
Woldi Comfu was at supper, but the moment
he was told of his brother's arrival he caused his
hall to be cleared to make room for the visiters,
as several people belonging to the Ras's household
were with the Fit-aurari only for a visit. I was
the first introduced to him, and, though he had
never seen me before, he seated me upon his own
sofa, while all others, as well as his brother, were
seated, as is customary, on the floor. After supper
there was a great quantity of maize presented.
He hearing that the Has had required his pre-
sence at hils camp in less than ten days, nothing
ITO COFTA. 2ir
but bustle was heard and seen about his house-
hold ; for it is usual for the soldiers, in all parts
of Abyssinia, before their masters take the field,
or when they go to camp only for a visit, to come
before them in turn and shew their activity with
their arms, and boast of what they have done and
will do. I slept in the same adderrash in which
we ate our supper, while the Gusmati retired to
his women's apartment. Next morning a sheep
was killed for me, every one being fasters except
a young boy, nephew to the Gusmati, who ate
upon a side-table with me.
A Tigr^ chief, son to Ito Cofta, had come pur*
posely to kill an elephant, which the youngsters
in Abyssinia in general do, to distinguish them-
selves in their first setting o£F, and their next ex-
ploit is to kill a Galla, or a Shangalla; for, until
a youth has done this, he has but little to 9ay in
company. Cofta having made known his inten-
tions, the Gusmati ordered him a guide. Wal-
kayt is the northernmost boundary of Abyssinia
west of the Tacazz^. The neighbouring people
north and west are Shangalla, or common Ne>-
groes, who inhabit this country in diflferent tribes
far to the north and west ; their language differs
in almost every tribe, and they are by far the
mildest-tempered race I ever saw. Ras Welled
Selass^ has always near his person a great number
vol., I, h
218 THE SHANGALLA.
of them^ who are educated by a sdioi^niaster^
whom he keeps on his premises to teach the
slaves of all kinds. The tribes bordering on the
territory of the Christians are continually hunted
and tormented by them ; they inhabit the most
desert parts, eat elephants, wild buffalo, came
lopard, rhinoceros, rats, snakes, frogs, &c. They
are hunted by the Christians, who kill the old
men if taken, and make slaves of the ycmng. In
and about Walkayt there are numbers of Shangalla
who have become familiar with the Christians
and Mahometans, and who in the rainy season
cultivate spots in the adjoining desert, and sow
the grain called marshella, under the protection
of the Gusmati of Walkayt.
Cofta set out in the evening, for the purpose of
shooting an elephant, with some gunners. In
Walkayt, Ras-el-feel, and Shir^, on the east of the
Tacazz^, the elephant-hunters have large and
long matchlocks for the purpose, which they
lend to those who want to kill, but the owner
receives some teeth for the loan. Cofta, beu^
too yotmgto handle the spear, preferred a match-
lock.
Next morning, the .Gusmati lent me one of his
mules to go with some of his Shangalla horsemen
to see them kill an elephant. His nephew, a boy
not more than ten years of age, went with us,
JEXKPHANT-HUNTINO. 219
and we were accompanied by sereral gunners
besides my own servants. The Shangalla were
eight in number, with four horses ; four of them
had spears and shields, the other four had swords
9uch as come from Sennaar, sharp on both edges.
On our road we passed through the desert which
is nearly covered with thorny bushes. I observed
in several places Shangalla ploughing the sandy
earth against the rains, as in -general there are a
few days' rain in all parts of Abyssinia in the
month of April, when they sow the grain. These
Shangalla w^e now preparing for what is called
marshella. Two women, naked, with straps over
their shoulders and holding by both hands, drag-
ged the plough, while a man steered it. About
three in the afternoon we got sight of a number
of elej^iants and rhinoceroses ; when the eight
men got upon their four horses, one upon the
saddle, with his spear and shield, and another be-
hind with a sword, which is very sharp towards
the point. About a span and a half above this
they have a piece of hide wrapped round the
blade, fitting the right hand that the edges may
not cut them. Some have a cord twisted round
the blade, which serves them always when they
go a-hunting ; if hide is used they want a fresh
piece every time, because, when dry, they cannot
get it off without cutting it, and to soak it in
L 2
220 ELEPHANT-HUNTING.
water would spoil the blade^ though some of
them prefer this trouble, on account of the good
and secure hold they have of it. We were or-
dered by the Shangalla to sit down all together,
and not to fire a gun or make the least noise;
some of the elephants*' were eating the trees
about two himdred yards below us. The hunters
then rode off in di£ferent directions, and selected
the elephant they found furthest from the herd.
The horses being used to the sport, the men ride
at full speed quite in front of the elephant they
mean to kill, when they bring the horse up sud*
denly, aiid if possible the spearsman will strike
his spear into the eye, or as nearly so as he can.
Whether he strikes the animal or not he turns
his horse quickly, and keeps cantering round the
beast, which turns as the horse goes round him.
After some time the poor beast becomes tired
and careless about turning round any more, but
either stands still or walks straight on ; then the
swordsman, when close to the elephant's hind
legs, drops off over the horse's tail, and with
both hands gives the beast a cut a little above
- ♦ The almost proverbial sagacity of the elephant is as mach
celebrated in Abyssinia as in the other parts of the world which
it inhabits ; and many are the stories related of its subtlety and
"half-reasoning** faculties: indeed it seems to be considered b^
the natives as a specieia of superior being. — Editor,
ELEPHANT-HUNTING. 221
the heel. The great sinew^ which appears more
like fat than sinew^ being cut^ the animal has
no longer the power to stand, when they
spear him or cut him with knives, as they
choose. The teeth they take to their masters,
who exchange them with the Mahomedans for
articles brought from the sea, and the Shan*
galla cut the flesh into strings and dry it for
qiumter.
The Walkayt Shangalla, as well as the Tacazz^,
are not quite so wooUy-headed, flat-nosed, and
thick-lipped, as the Abawi Shangalla, beyond the
Abawi ; neither are they so mild-tempered as the
the former. After the sport was over, we mounted
our mules, and rode towards home by the same
road we came. When dark, we pitched our little
camp under a large seggla tree, and had plenty of
provisions and maize.
Early in the morning we set out again, and
about twelve arrived at the Gusmati's house at
Arder-Rummet. Here we found all in a bustle as
we had left it, getting ready their provisions for
the camp. The Gusmati Woldi Comfu, though
very civil to me, behaved diflferently to others,
and had indeed an extremely sullen look.
Walkayt is a country not much esteemed for
its com and cattle ; the latter they bring from
Tigr^, Temben, and other parts east of the Ta-
222 VIRGIN MONKS.
t»xuky and exchange them for cotton-cloths,
which are more numerous here than in other
parts of Abyssinia, excepting Shir^.
March I3th. I left Arder-Rummet with the
army of the Gitsmati Woldi Comfu, our road
being exactly the same as the one i had come
with Fit-aurari Suddal. We encamped in a wild
woody place within the boundaries of Waldubba.
The next morning a great number of monks
joined in our march from a church called Kudus
Michael, as they wanted to see the Ras. One o^
these monks walked by the ^tde of my mule
nearly all the road, and told me abominable Ues,
which I pretended to believe, as the weak-^minded
people really do. He said he was related to the
ancient kings of the race of Meneleck, and that he
had formerly been very wealthy, but, being quite
averse from the pleasures and sins of earth, *^ I
gave all/' said he, ^^ to the poor and turned
monk, being a dingle [a virgin}. When I came
to Waldubba, I joined in the club of monks, where
we used to drink tsug and taller * once every
month, but, thinking this too much indulgence
for a sinful soul, I forsook them and turned
bartone. On my first setting out, in the midst of
the wilderness, living upon nothing but leaves
* Tsug is maize» and taller sowa, in the Amhara language.
VIRGIN MONKS. 223
and seed^ I found m3rself very weak and tired,
when a large lion^ with a very long mane, eame
towards me. God had given me courage not to
fear, and he came, and rubbed his sides against
me^ as if he wanted me to get upon his back,
which I did, and he took me where he pleased.
When he stopped, I alighted and gathered
leaves, herbs, and roots, for my subsistence,
while he went to kill something for himself. All
the bartonea ride on lions,'' continued he, ^' as
a look from us tames the wildest beasts." All
this palaver I heard, and at the same time thought
he deserved the whip I held in my hand, but
dared not show the least sign of using it, as I
wished to do. I was glad when I had got rid of
him, for he bothered me so much about Jeru-
salem that I was heartily tired, it being a place
as I told him I had never seen, but he would not
believe me. It became dark before we could reach
Inchetkaub; we therefore encamped close to
the church Abbagarva, about two miles firom
the camp, and the next morning went into the
town.
The Gusmati Woldi Comfu having had about
two hours' private conversation with the Ras, it
was determined that he should return to his own
country, and he set out the next day, for what
reason no one knew. The Ras's army was more
224 THE AAS'S ARMT.
numerous than it had been in any war in which
I had ever yet been engaged, though they have
no regular mode of numbering their troops, either
as regards the men or the chiefs. It was sup-
posed that there were more than fifty thousand
Tigre soldiers, and twenty thousand Amharas ;
the latter commanded by Asgas Sedit and the
Cannasmash Gabrew, brother to the Gusmarsh
Ackly Marro. Gabrew is the son of the Can-
nasmash Cofta; Marro is the son of Ackly, a
Gavverry farmer, but bom of the same mother.
Marro is the youngest, and, being braver than
his brother Gabrew, soon drove him out of the
district, which he had no right to do, Gabrew
being the lawful heir; who fled for protection to
Ras Welled Selass^, by whom he was well
treated during his residence with him, and
who had given him his niece Ozoro Sarin to
wife.
The Ras had sent and received messages from
Guxo, who was then on the borders of Lasta, and
had driven Ras Ilo to his mountain Selahferre ;
but, the last messenger not returning as soon as
was expected, the drum was beat for all to be
ready to quit Inchetkaub by the holyday Baler
Mariam, the 2Ist of the month.
March 17th. The Gusmati Woldi Comfii left
our camp well and in good health, but the next
SHUM TEMBEN SARLU. 225
day^ on his march, he died upon his mule so
suddenly that he never uttered a word : his death
caused a general cry in the camp, which is not
common when an army is in the field.
The beautiful Galla girl I have before men-
tioned, given to the care of Abbuzer Welleta
Tisral, was stolen, and taken by force from the
Abbuzer's apartment, while she was attending
upon the Ras at supper, by Shum Temben Sarin,
nephew to the Ras. The old gentleman, on
being made acquainted with the affair, sent for
the girl, who by this time had been returned, and
asked in what manner she had been taken from
his premises. She said, '^ While I was sitting
by myself in the wots bate^ [cook-house,] the
Abbuzer having gone with all the women to
carry the victuals to supper, a chief came in with
several people, who caught hold of me, and car-
ried me away to a tent; and, after passing the
night with me, he sent me back with only one
man, who ran off after he had come with me
half-way. This nephew, though the Ras had
shown him many favours, by forgiving him for
rebellion, had done the same three times before
with different women belonging to the Ras. The
Ras desired the people about the premises not to
talk about the matter to any one, adding that
as his nephew had again shamed him it was
l5
226 PUNISHMENT OF SARLU.
impossible for him to put the fFodde Mammen
(meaning son of a lewd woman) to deaths as he
deserved.
Next morning the Ras put the girl upon one of
his own mules, and sent her, with all her attendants
and five or six more of Ras Guebra's women, to
Amba Hai with a guard, as far as the foot of the
mountain, from which Subhart, the regular mes-
senger to and from Ras Guebra, took them up to
the mountain, with something similar to a flag of
truce* Meanwhile the drum was beat to pro-
claim that all districts and land of any description^
belonging to Shum Temben Sarlu, were taken
from him by order of the Ras, and given, (naming
the different portions) to Palambarus Toclu,
Woldi Garva Quontarte, and Ito Musgrove of
Basanate ; in consequence, the soldiers of Sarlu,
knowing they should never get their pay, and
seeing no source whence it could come, quitted
him, and enlisted with the new chiefs of their
country.
Sarlu, ' by this transaction, became sensible
of his bad conduct, and sent for me. I at first
refused to comply, but his continual messen-
gers and the former intimacy we had kept up,
at last induced me to go and see him ; 1 therefore
took an opportunity of paying him a visit un-
known to the Ras. I found him sitting upon a
SARLU S LAMENTATIONS. 2S7
sheepskin^ and indeed he looked very Bheepish
himself. After the usual oompliments of the
country, ^^ What false report is this t" sidd he;
^^ can you not persuade the Ras not to give ear to
my enemies t It is on his account that I have so
many.'' I interrupted him, by saying, ^^ Sarlu,
for God's sake hold yjour tongue, for I have little
time to spend with you, but I will tell you what is
witnessed against you;'' and, after repeating word
for word what I had heard both the Galla girl
and others tell the Ras in my presence, I said,
^^ I myself should only tell you a lie if I said 1 do
not believe you guilty of the crime laid to your
charge." Upon which he began to tear off the
faair from his temples, the same as he would have
done if a relation had died that moment in his
presence. He cried in a lamentable tone, ^^What
an unlucky soul I am! I can do nothing but
what is known directly." 1 answered, " You
are very lucky, for if you were in the hands
of any one else but Ras Welled Selass^ they
would not have left you your head to tear,
as you are now doing like a fool;" and upon
this I left him. In the morning I sent every
body out of the Ras's presence and told him
the whole story, for fear my visit should be
made known to him by some other person.
He said, <^ Guebra M assea, his father, was
228 TREATY WITH GUXO.
iny youngest brother, by our father Kcffla
Yasous^ though not by my mother Welleta
Sian : before he died I visited him, when very
ill, and he caused me to swear by the bones
of his father, Kefla Yasous, that I would have
the same affection for Sarlu, his son, as I wotdd
have for Manassey's or Debbib's children, who
were my brothers by one mother 5 after -such an
oath, how can I hurt the Zear JFodde Mam-
men?"
March 21st. The Arohara Fit-aurari Guebra
Amlac and Chellica Comfu marched, and en-
camped about eight miles from the towii. The
Ras would not stir that day through respect to
the Virgin Mary, it being her holyday. The
drum was beat, as an injunction riot to bum or
hurt any part of the town upon quitting it, under
pain of death.
Next day the Ras marched to the place where
the Fit-aurari had been encamped, who had
quitted and encamped a little farther on. Here
the messenger of Ras Guxo arrived, and as it
appeared the Ras had taken into consideration
that if he entered Guxo's territories it would be
the destruction of Lasta and Ras Ilo, his particular
ally, it was settled that the Ras should do as
he thought proper with the province of Sameni
and all other districts belonging to Ras Guebra,
BEAUTIFUL VALLEY OF SHOADER. 229
which extended to the Ungarrau; that Guxo
was to retire immediately from Lasta^ and return
to Ras IIo all the cattle that had been taken from
him by his army ; and that Ras Ilo should possess
the districts in Daunt and Wadler belonging to
the Gusmarsh Asserrat, then in chains upon the
mountain Mokkina. This treaty being settled,
agreeably to the wishes of all the chiefs except
the Amhara Canuasmash Gabrew and Asgas Sedit,
who were not put by it into possession of their
former territories, the drummers beat throughout
the country of Wogara Bellesart, to warn the in-
habitants to bring in their tribute of cattle, gold,
&c. before the expiration of three days, during
which time the Ras remained on the mountain
that forms the east side of the valley Shoader,
a most beautiful country, belonging to Ozoro
Setches, the Ras's first wife, daughter of the
Gusmarsh Errocklis, brother to Ras Guebra.
This district belonged to her by birth. Several
springs and a beautiful stream run through the
valley, the banks of which are covered with vines,
peaches, limes, and other garden fruits 3 tringOyH
favourite fruit, is also very plentiful. The drum
had beat several times, to warn all persons not to
enter the valley upon pain of being flogged round
the camp, notwithstanding which the- wotaduy
having got sight of the ripe peaches and grapes.
290 THE RASS GARDENS ROBBED.
before the Ras could be infonned of it^ the whole
valley was swarming, as if with the devouring
locust^ and in a few hours not a bunch of grapes
nor a peach was to be seen, which greatly aggra-
vated the Ras, as he had expected to have his
table supplied with them every day during his
stay.
^j
CHAPTER VII.
Mr. Coffin's Narrative concladed — Ezpedition to collect the In*
come of Wogara, &c. — Lofty Mountain of Limalms — ^The
Biver Ungarraa^ Arrival at Gondar — The king's honsft—
description of the town — Singing Women — Wine — Fish—
Mr. Coffin receives a Visit from an old Servant — Jews —
Priests — Chnich of Qaosqnom — ^Bnilding Materials— Painting
— ^Retnm to Inchetkauh — ^Deputation of Priests sent by Guebra
to intercede for hfm with the Ras — Intrigues of Guebra and
Teda Gorgis— Mountain of Sankar Bar— Attacked and taken
by the Ras — Slaughter of the enemy — Devastations of the
conquerors — Mountain of Amba Hai, d^uebra's strong-hold—
The government of Samen given to Guebra Michael — ^The
Qama- — ^Interchange of presents between the Ras and Ras
Guebra — ^Trial of an English cannon — Story of a Turk.
April 1st. The Ras dispatched Fit-aarari Guebra
Amlac and Chellica Comfu^ with the Amhara Can-
nasmash Gabrew and Asgas Sedit^ to collect the
income of^Wogara, Mariam Wor^ &c.^ and at
the same time commanded them not let their men
pass the Ungarran, under pain of having their
commands taken from them. I obtained per-
mission to accompany this exepedition^ and we
marched to Wogara. The people offered re*
sistance, but . soon found that they should have
the worst, for at first they thought our army con-
sisted of the Amhara Asgas Sedit and Gabrew
only, but, upon hearing the cry of ^^ Goverser
232 MOUNTAIN OF LIMALMS.
Badinmh /" they were struck with a panic and
fled in all directions, while our troops plundered
their villages. Next day, we began our march
over Limalms, a very high mountain, but nothing
to compare with Amba Hai, or the mountains
about Sugemet : from the top of Limalms you
can see all the plain country of Gojam^ and*
round about to Emfras, and the mountains beyond
the lake Tzana. This mountain is worse to go
down the west side than it is to go up on the
east; and, our party being very numerous, and in
each other's way, we were about three hours
before we got to the bottom : our march still lay
over small hills, ascending and descending, and
about four o'clock in the afternoon we came to
Mariam Wor, a small river, in this part running
over a rocky bottom and having steep rocks on
each side. Here our Worari plundered the pre-
mises of Palambarus Devlo, a general in the
service of Guxo; there were many disputes
between the Fit-aurari and Amhara, who had
been the occasion of this act, and consequently
of breaking the treaty with Guxo. The Amhara
said, " How could Guxo have to do with it, or
what business had a servant of his to reside in the
territories of Ras Guebrat
The news of our approach had many days past
been in Gondar, and, before we left Inchetkaub, the
ANCIENT BRIDGES. S38
king, Itsa Guarlu, had taken all his property and
gone to the giddam island^ Carretta Wolletta, in
the lake Tzana ; indeed all great people in office
nnder Guxo had done the same^ fearing the
tyranny of Tecla Gorgis^ and supposing that he
would be again placed upon the throne. Next
morning \^e marched to the Ungarrau, and about
twelve o'clock encamped close by an old bridge,
formerly built by the Portuguese in the reign of
king Fasil, for the purpolse of crossing the river
m the rainy season. It is but a poor building,
formed of irregular-sized stones and mortar. I
was told by an Amhara priest that there are
several of these bridges, called Fasil Dilde ; this
one over the upper Ungarrau, another over the
lower Ungarrau, one over the Rib, one over the
Moghetch, two over the Abawi, and one over the
Kar ; this latter was never finished. Although
these are at the present day considered as great
works of antiquity by the Abyssinians, they would
be thought nothing of in the meanest part of
Europe.
Here we had nothing but disturbances : the
Cannasmash Gabrew and Asgas Sedit had en*
^ted Gondar contrary to the orders of the Ras,
and, knowing tfiey had nothing to lose by this .
disobedience, they set-to and plundered all the
premises of the Gusmarsh Marro of Dembea,
234 GONDAB:^
who was the present commander in Gondar, Inil;.^
had gone with Gnxo's army against Ras Ilo ; vasA^
they likewise took the property of several oth«r%
who^ they said^ were their enemies. The 11gr4
troops wanted to do the same^ but several being
severely punished by the Fit-aurari and Chellica
Comfii^ this soon put a stop to their proceedings,
I could only see a part of the east side of the
town, where I was stationed, but from a hill about
a quarter of a mile from our camp I could surrey
the whole. The king's house, called Itsa Gamb^
(k^g's tower), stood in the middle upon a height,
and looked more like a Portuguese church than a
royal palace. The king does not live in it at
present, nor has he for many years past; the
doors are all broken down, and the whole is very
much out of repair, though within the walls Itsa
Guarlu had built several decent apartments, be-
sides the one he lived in when here. According
to the Abyssinian way of building, the town is
scattered about over a vast tract of land, in
general high with small hillocks ; every part takes
its name from either the church, market, or people,
that occupy the ground. Chegge Bate is a large
piece of ground, spacious enough to build a town
upon, from which no one, if even guilty of mUrder,
can be taken, it being the residence of the chegge
or head-bishop of Abyssinia ; the Abuna's premi";
BUILDINGS. 235
tses have the same respect paid to them. The
pabrt of the town occupied by Mahomedang^
though many OhristianB are intermixed with
them^ is called Salem €ra. Ardervaohi is the
name of the main public road, that leads to the
king's house, where they hold the market ; the
same road leads to the wock-gaviery [gold-market,]
wliere they exchange gold for salt, and no one
dare weigh the gold but the proper persons in
office,, who are always silversmitha, and of whom
I shall give an account in another pldce. If
Gnndar were built in a regular manner after the
mode of building in Europe, one dghth of the
ground would be sufficient for its population.
The houses are all thatched, but, on ac(;ount of
the badness of the day, they are obliged to thatch
Iheir walls likewise, to prevent their being washed
down by the rain; while, in several parts of
Abyssinia, the clay and stones that the walls
are built with will resist the rains for a number of
years. The whole town is lined with wanzatra
trees, which hide the houses from the view; one
part especially, and the only part I have been in,
which was by night, is so thickly covered with
those trees that you cannot see a house before
you get within the trees that surround it. This
part of the town goes by the name of Turkouch
Minder, which name arose from the Sennaar troops
236 SONG OF THE WOMEN.
having been quartered there, when in the servii
of the king, Arlem Segued Yassu, (meaning ^^
world bows down to Yassu") or Yassu Tar]
the great. '
In the day time our camp was full of thfr
Amhara women, who used to join in gangs^ thcS
girls in one and grown women in another, sin^n^
to the sound of a drum, which a woman beat
at both ends, and carried slimg with a string
about her neck. They sang the following song :
^^ Give the Badinsah breeches, and he is a lion :
where is the man that will dare to- hold his shield
to him?*' — ^^ Give him breeches'* merely means
when he is up and dressed he is ready, and no
one dare face hun. I had many acquaintances
here, who brought me as much wine and brandy
as I and my servants could drink, and fine peaches
and grapes were very plentiful, it being just the
season for them.
The wine is very good, but what we make in
Enderta is much the same ; it will not keep more
than three weeks, or a month, before it becomes
sour, arising from the want of proper vessels to
keep it in, as they have nothing better than
earthen jars for the purpose, and these are
not glazed within. I have kept wine the whole
year round in English bottles. The brandy they
make is very strong, and distilled through a i
WINE. 237
hollow cane^ called shambacco, from the husks
and stones of the grapes, after the liquor is
pressed from them. Great quantities come daily
to town at this time of the year from Corder
Emfras, the grape country. Grkpes are foimd in
almost all parts of Abyssinia^ but no country
produces so much as Emfras, owing to an ancient
custom of the inhabitants following the wine
business. Here tribute is paid to the king and
the Abuna. Every doss of wine pays a jar yearly
to the king, as they enter Gondar to the market,
and every other article that enters the market for
sale pays likewise a portion to the king's offi-
cers 5 butter, pepper, greens of every kind, wood,
com, and cattle, are exempt from duty. It is the
same in all other capitals of Abyssinia, such as
Adowa and Antklo. The rules of the custom-
house, and duties upon merchants and merchan-
dize, will be seen in a subsequent page.
Fish are abundant, especially those called
ambazzUy an ugly fish, though very good eating,
being very fat, having scarcely any small bones,
and being without scales like the eel ; its skin is
very thick. There is another scaly and very
good-looking fish, called barki^ but not so sweet
as the foregoing, and fiill of small bones. This
fish, as well as a smaller one, called lombe^ and
which resembles the English gudgeon, are very
238 FISH.
good eating, and both are abundant in all the i%f
vers of Abyssinia. The ambazza is also found si|||
most of the large rivers. The inhabitants q$
Gondar make quanter of them, by drying th^Q
with scarcely any salt, in which state they will
keep a long time. In the month of August^ on
the first of which begins the fast called Filsetti^^
Blessed Virgin, the youths go to Dembea^ with
large sticks in their hands, and, the lake Tzana
being at that time overflowed and the water
muddy, they kill great quantities of this fish,
which they find in the shoal and muddy water.
My acquaintances tell me that one amola^ which
is a piece of salt wx>rth the ninth part of a doUar,
will buy enough ambazza for twenty families'
suppers : at that season wine is also very chei^ ;
one amola buys a large jar of about six gallons;
from the beginning of March to the end of May,
you may buy it at this price. At the same
season you can buy three brulys of brandy,
which is about three pints, wine measure^ for one
amola*
My old servant^ whom I had discharged, in the
beginning of last year^ paid me a visit, having
heard of me from the townspeople, who visited
our camp; he brought his two sons with him,
each conducting a girl with a jar of wine. With
the little money he had received from me as
RAFTS. 239
he liad put one of his Bons into a small
le of business^ by trading from Gondar to
; tbe other is a deacon belonging to the
lurch. Quosquom. I strictly inquired of the
ier about his manner or custom of tradings
id what he dealt in; he told me that two dollars'
worth of salt^ taken from Gondar^ would sell for
a wakeah and a quarter of gold in Sarsar, and if he
kept in good healthy and after paying all bersy
places where they take toll for the passing of salt^
in a line of trade common in all parts of Abys-
sinia^ he should often have a wakeah left clear upon
his return to Gondar. During the rains, he said he
went across the lake Tzana, upon a tonquor that
carries gesho, [wood] &c. from Agow Mudda. The
tonguor is a lai^e raft, with spars laid crosswise
upon the top, and mats sewed upon them and
round the edges, so that goods and people go
from island to island, and across tbe lake, dry.
The common rafts used for crossing the larger
rivers in the rainy seasons, such as the Tacazz^
are a very dangerous contrivance; for it often hap-
pens that the stream will break the raft, and those
upon it are never seenor heard o! more. He told
me that Sarsar was a large Shangalla town, the
capital of the province; that its best buildings
were not better than the worst in this place, being
all small alike, and; m the same shape as tbe
240 JEWS — ^PRIESTS.
commonest huts about the towns in Abyssinia.]
This town is upon the banks of the Abawi, asi
near as Gondar is to the Ungarrau. When hei
went all the way by land in the dry season, het
said he had to cross the river Abawi three times^
as Sarsar lies upon the west bank of the river.
Agow Mudda, Gesar, and Devarte, are also capital
towns of the Shangalla. The Abawi Ras, or
head of the Abawi, rises at Succola, passes
through the lake Tzana, and, running again to
the south, takes a turn round its head, and again
pursues its course north ; in this manner it must
be crossed three times going from Gondar to
Sarsar, which it would be difficult to do in the
rainy season.
The Jews, at present, are not numerous in
Gondar, as scarcely four hundred can be found in
the place. They have a house of prayer at Der-
fecher Keder Merret.
The priests are numerous in Gondar; «very
church maintains a great number by means of
the land that belongs to it. This land, as in all
parts of Abyssinia, is divided into reams, equal
shares ; the head-priests have ten parts, and others
of high rank have in proportion, some four, some
two, &c. Quosquom is at present the mother
church; it is well thatched, and the blue silk
with which it is lined, and the large mirrors with
CHURCH OF QUOSQUOM. 241
which it was adorned^ by the Queen Eligge Mant-
waub, the daughter of the Quonquosh^ are still
in a perfect state. The priests are of opinion
that their city is very grand^ and they even call
it Cuttermer Arhar arrat Bate er Christian,
Rieaning the city of forty- four churches.
Quosquom wsis built by the aboTe-mentioned
Yer Eligge Mantwaub^ daughter of the Quon*
quosh^ who took the name from the mother
of Benecuffa^ who was born and lived at Quora,
where Benecuffa was also bom, whose daughter,
Ozoro Hunkeyey, was the mother of Yer Eligge
Mantwaub, and also bom at Quora, where she
gave birth to Eligge Mantwaub. Yassu Tarlack,
the husband of Eligge, was also bom in the
neighbourhood of Quora; and the royal family
and court; having removed to that place, were
distinguished by the name of Quonquoab, and
are called so to this day. After the death of i
Yassu, Eligge became queen and very rich ; she
was a very generous and splendid princess, was
remarkably fond of white people, and. employed
several Greeks and Armenians to build the church
erf Quosquom. In inaking golden crowns, crosses,
eups, &c., for the holy service and the adminis-
tration of the sacrament, and likewise for siljk
carpets, cushions, hangings, &c., to complete
her church, they say she spent fifty thovisAnd
VOL. I, M
S4S CHURCH OF QUOSQUOH.
wakeahs of pure gold; though the edifice is of bo
better materials than other buildings in tiie city.
As she had no (me in her service who could make
mortar, this churck is built with clay^ rough
stones, wood, canes, and straw, which are the
pxincipal materials for the first buildings in Aby s -
unia. Yer Eligge Mantwaub had her churclibmlt
in a w;ay to prevent fire from destroying it, after
the manner of Abba Garimur, a church in Tlgre.
The church, of an oblong square form, has a
flat top, and within it is well plastered with the
best clay ; it has a kind of portico. The outside
is covered with thatch, to preserve the building
from being washed down by the rams : a good
thatch, done by persons who .profess the business
in this country, will last for thirty or forty years
without wanting repair. They do not thatch
with straw, but Nature has provided them with a
long strong wiry grass, which grows wild during
the rains upon almost all the mountains ; it does
not become bristly until it is fairly scorched by
the sun, and when wet again becomes pliable:
they call this grass, bate sar, [house-grass] . Quos-^
quom being the most esteemed church in Gondar
at the present day, I have been induced to give a
foHer account of it.
Nearly one half of the forty-four churches of
Gondar have fidlen down, and perhaps the reader
BUILDmO MATEEIALS. 843
will imagine that it would require a great deal of
skilly labour, and expeniie, to rebuild them, sup-
posing them to be nearly on a par with St. Paul's,
or Westminster Abbey ; but, in order to prevent
so erroneous an opinion, I shall. point out, in
ar true and plain manner, the mode adopted, and
the materials used, in building what is called
a cathedral, in such capitals as Gondar and
AntMo. If a church is to be built, every Chris-
tian is ready to carry stones, elay, &c., gratis ;
and when the king. Has, chief-priest, or any
other individual, intends to build or repair a
church, or to erect any large building for his own
residence, he first buys, or takes from the poor
country people for nothing, canes and grass ;
far wood he will send to the people of the dis-
tricts lying near the wood country, or where it
is to be procured the best and easiest, and order
them^ to bring it, till sufBicient . materials are
coUected.for the purpose. To buy the whole of
these materials fairly would not cost them more
than eighty German crowns. I have been enabled
to make with certainty the following ealculations
from my own experience in building and paying
fairly for every thing. Of the shambacco^ a hol-
low cane, the material for covering, you can buy
one thousand five hundred per dollar, and fifteen
thousand for ten. dollars, which would be sufk-
M 2
244 BUILDING MATERIALS.
dent for any building I have yet seen in the coun-^
try. SmaU/spars^ of different kinds of wood, may
be bought at the rate of fifty per. dollar, .five hun-
dred per ten dollars, and twenty dollars for wood of
larger size, for door-ways, &c. ; one hundred and
sixty boys' and girls' load of grass per dollar, one
thousand six hundred per ten dollars. Four
builders, if even Fellashers [Jews] would cost no
more than one dollar each for six days, tmd
twelve days* work, with four workmen, would
finish any of their buildings. The thatcher would
agree to complete the whole for four dollars, and
the. remaining eighteen dollars would be sufficient
to treat generously the men, women, boys, and
girls, neighbours, and all who assisted in mixing
the clay and carrying it and stones to the builders,
besides sowa and taller. They in general mix
tctjf straw with their clay, to make it hold toge-
ther, as hair is used in mortar in Europe, Many
pious Christians, who can afford it, will go to a
great expense in ornamenting one of those
churches within, with painting and articles made
of gold and silver, and carpets and silks, which
are very costly in this country.
Their manner of . painting is, I think, very
curious : it is as follows. . After plastering the
wall and smoothing it with clay, they line it,
when perfectly dry, with cotton cloth, which is
PAINTING. 245
stuck to the wall by means of a slimy substance
made from cow's hide, or from the fruit of the tc^an-
zatra. Over this cloth they lay a coat of white-
yrash, made from chalk or lime-stone, first bomt,
and then pounded and mixed with water^ adding
a little 6f the aforesaid substance with which the
cloths are stuck to the wall. They then draw
the outUne of the picture with charcoal, and
afterwards paint it with black paint, which th^y
make by burning hemp-seed nearly to a cinder ;
they then shade their painting, by strengthening
or weakening their colour. They make no colours
in the country, except a fine red, which they
use for dyeing ivory, and this is made from a
wood called zanen. All other paints they obtain
dry from Arabia; these they grind and mix
themselves, and always mix the yolks of eggs
and gum-water in their paints of all colours.
The paints are groimd on a smooth stone, with the
yolks and gum-water, and tempered ^ith the same.
The greatest parts of the inhabitants of Gondar
differ from the Copts in their religion, although
their patriarch was a Copt. No priest is al-
lowed to have a ream in any parish of Gondar,
unless the same professes the faith of the
Echeggei.
April 7th. We left Ungarrau, and marched
to Mariam .Wor. Next day we marched over
24CI MESSAGE imOSi RAS OUEBRA.
Limalms^ several of our people in the rear bein^
killed by the inhabitants of the plundfsred and
burned villages of Wogara^ where we encamped
for the night. Next day we marched to Shoader^
whence the Ras had marched to Inchetkaub; and
on the day following we joined the Ras's ariny^
encamped without that town^ to which they had
just set fire, and were waiting to see the best
parts of Ras Guebra's premises consumed to the
ground; these were reckoned the most ex-
tensive buildings belonging to any governor in
Abyssinia*
April 11th. As we had begun our march pur-
posely for the destruction of Behader and Sie*
gemet, a great number of priests, belonging to
Waldubba and to the different churches of Samen^
met the Ras ; Ras Guebra having sent a message
by them to intreat the Ras to forgive him id»
misconduct, and he would wait upon him, with a
stone slung about his neck, at Axum, as he had
done on former occasions. Hie Ras, being per-
suaded by the priests that it was a great sin to
shed so much blood, and to ruin the comfort of
so many thousands of poor people, merely to
revenge himself for the treachery of one many
gave way to their intreaties, and ordered the
army to inarch by the same road we came into
Samen, and appointed the day upon which Ras
INTRIGUES OF TECLA OORGIS. 247
Guebra should amve at Axum. The same day a
fine horse from Guxo, for his own ridings arrived
as a present for the Ras, Guxo had obeyed the
Ras*8 orders^ by returning all the cattle that were
not killed by the Worari to Ras Ilo, and had put
him again in possession of the districts^ agreed to
in the treaty^ and had himself arrived at Deverer-
tavor^ his capital, in Begemder. At this time
niessengers arrived from Ras Guebra, telling the
Rad that Guebra had declared to them that he
had never consented to visit Ras Welled Sdlass^ at
Axnm, with a stone about his neck, and that
this story had been invented by the priests them-
selves.
This intelligence enraged the Ras so much that
he determined to return immediately, and ao*
cordingly he dispatched the troops of Enderta,
to fetch one of the pieces of cannon brought
thither by Mn Salt. At the same time he had
learned from some of Ras Guebra's favourite
priests, that the king Tecla Gorgis had occasipned
this last piece of deceit in Ras Guebra. It ap-^
peared that Tecla Gorgis > was vexed with the
Ras for not having put him upon the throne,
and had contrived to make more mischief by
privately sending to Ras Guebra, and telling him
he would be guilty of a great fdly to come to the
Ras, who was so old and feeble that he could
248 TBANSPORT OF CANNON.
scarcely mount his mule without help; and, that
after he had once got beyond the Tacazz^, he
would be bound for his not attempting to
return; moreover adding, he would, upon his
(the king's) arrival at Axum, send and per-
suade Subegadis to enter into the interior of
Tigr^, The Ras, on learning this intrigue, kept
all in his own. breast : and, upon the arrival
of the gun and its carriage, with ammuni-
tion, &c., which were carried separately, so
many men to a wheel, and the same to every
separate part belonging to the carriage and am-
munition, the gun was slung to a long pole,
and a great number of men carried it with great
difficulty over the mountains, every chief in his
turn taking charge of it day by day. The drum was
beat to give notice to all those who had gone to
their respective districts to bring a supply of
provisions for the use of the amiy, while it
should be without plunder, and to intimate that
they must be in camp by Balei* Mariam. Tecla
Gorgis endeavoured to persuade the Ras not
to return, not knowing that he was fully ac-
quainted with what he had practised against him^
and, finding his advice neglected, told the Ra3
that he would return to Axum and there remain
until the Ras should return from Samen to
Enderta, where he would again meet him ; but
MOUNTAIN OF 8ANKAR BAR. 249
the Ras told him that he could not spare Palam-
barus Toclu^ for without him he could not be
provided for. The king made several other
excuses to get to Axum, but the old Ras at last
ingisted upon his returning with him, and ordered
kis chiefs to look strictly after him; and he would
not even allow him to send his wife, Ozoro
Cottser, to Axum or Waldubba, as he had before
Jiromised.
Next day, we left the banks of the Tacazz^,
and marched to Salumte, a district belonging to
Ito Guebra Kedan, and the drum had been beaten
to forbid plundering, Guebra Kedan being the
husband of Ozoro Sarlu, the Ras's niece.
We marched next day for Behader. Ras Guebra
had put people to work to stop the pass up the
Hiountain, called Sankar Bar, which was afways
impassable in the ascent, if a few muskets were
placed at the top to defend the passage ; but he had
now caused rocks to be broken down in the nar-
row cuts, so that it had become a mere precipice,
and the first salute we had was a whole volley of
musketry, when several of the Fit-aurari's people
were killed. We were about three miles in the
rear of the Fit-aurari when we heard the report
of these nmskets, which echoed along the moun-
tains. The cry of ^^ Badinsah!" was soon
heard from all quarters, and though the rocks
M 5
S50 THE MOUNTAIN ATTACKED,
were almost perpendicular and so high that it
appeared impossible to ascend them for nearly
thi«e miles above the valley, yet the soldiers
climbed up with the greatest agility and courage
imaginable, though many were hurt, and I saw
one fall from a great height, who broke his neck,
but never dropped his spear or shield from bis
hands.
In about an hour a great many were seen upon
the top, at both sides of the mountain, and
appeared like monkeys ; we could scarcely hear
their shouts, but could perfectly see their actions,
though they could not be seen from this distance
by the troops of Ras Guebra, who were defending
the pass against the Fit-aurari. I stood by the
Ras, who had been obliged, as well as myself, to
alight from his mule and climb up the rocks on
our hands and feet, every now and then looking
at the soldiers, and wondering how they ascended
so nimbly. The Ras remarked, '* These Wojje-
rats and Agows are devils ; not a man of Tigr^
could equal the worst of them for climbing up
the rocks." — ^^ Ah," said one of the Ras's dug-
gefys (a man who always walks by the side of his
mule to give ease to his legs, or arms, which he
puts upon his shoulder, being a Tigr^ man) ^' if
we had been obliged, vto climb up the rocks to get
at the bee-hives, for their honey, from our infancy.
AND TAKEN ET THE RA8. 251
as the Wojjerats and Agows do, we should be as
good cUmbers as they are *y' at which the old
gentleman laughed, and kept looking first upon
one side of the mountain, and then upon the
other, watching the proceedings of the soldiers^
Mrho were running along the narrow ridges like
Welsh goats. The firing was still kept up by
the soldiers of Guebra defending the pass against
the Fit-aurari, until they were entirely sur-
Tounded, as they had never dreamt that it was
possible to ascend by any other passage than the
one they defended ; they had therefore kept no
look-out upon any other quarter than the narrow
passage. But, when they found themselves sur-
rounded, they were struck with a sudden panic,
and the confusion into which they fell was
lamentable, as they plainly saw that their enemies
were double their own number. Scarcely a man
escaped, as the Wojjerats kill all that fall m
their power, both old and young. The Agows,
.if none of their own blood is spilt^^ wiU spare life,
making those prisoners whom they take; but
when one of their own party drops, they will
revenge him even upon an infant. Hundreds of
Ras Guebra's soldiers dropped their arms and
descended the pass, to get into the Fit^aursuri's
army for quarter, but numbers were killed in the
attempt by the comrades of those who had been
252 BEHADER BURNED.
shot, I never saw any thing so cruel ; even the
Ras pitied them, but he was too far in the rear
to give orders to spare them. After the pass
was cleared, it took us until dark to g^t tlirojigh
it, and then we encamped upon th'en^^Oulitain
close by. Here I had the misfortune to lose
three asses, out of the five I had left ; and
numbers of horses and mules, as well as asses,
fell over the precipices and were dashed to
atoms. ' -
Next morning the Worari were off before day?
light ; and before we had marched an hour we
could see the smoke of Behader, to which the
Worari had set fire, though a good ten miles
from the spot where we had encamped. At
twelve o'clock we encamped about a mile fironi
the burning town, where we stopped five days,
until every village in that part of the country
was burned to the ground, and all the gtulgaudsy
[pits of com] that were found were either taken
or destroyed. We then marched to Sugernet,
where we stopped ten days, and the com we
found there was in such abundance, that we could
not destroy it otherwise than by throwing it into
the water, or down the precipices of the moun-
tains, where it could not be got at any more. We
tnarched hence to Salem Ga, a Mahomedan
town, which the Ras had ordered not to be burnt.
MOUNTAIN OF AMBA HAI. 353
the inhabitants baying brought bini gold, silver,
and clotbs; but the farmers belonging to Ras
Guebra and his chiefs were plundered.
We stopped at this place five days, and pro*
ceeded to the foot of Amba Hai, and although the
distance is considerable, we could see Arom below
the piles of stones, like little spires, all along the
edges of the mountain. This mountain is very
large, the plain on the top being said to be as
large as the plain of Gambela, in Ehderta, which
is a good ^fteen miles in length, and contains a
vast number of springs, plenty of grass for cattle,
much cultivated land, and two large towns,
besides many villages. Ras Guebra has a house
and extensive premises upon it, and the only
thing that makes it disagreeable is the cold. The
snow was still lodged deep in many of the narrow
ravines, in the high rocks, and all over the place
of encampment, although it was the hottest
month in the year.
^ Here I .was ordered to place the gun upon its
carriage, which I did; but I told the Ras it would
be of no use unless we could approach nearer,
we being a good three miles . and a half, in a
straight line, from the gate of entrance, the only
one to the mountain, and. which was to be fired at.
With the Ras's telescope I could see Ras Guebra,
surrounded by his soldiers, sitting in the sun.
SM CONDUCT OF THE RAS TO TH£ KING.
We stopped here several days^ during which
messengers were going backward and forward^
and all the mischief Tecla Gorgis had been
making was distinctly made known to the Ras
by a worthy priest, belonging to Ras Guebra,
who had kept a true account of what Teda had
been advising his master Guebrato do. It appear-
ed that Teda Gorgis had always had an aversion
to the Ras and Bashaw Dingerze, a chief of Ras
Michad's. The latter had given him a good
whipping, when in Gondar, for getting upon his
horse, and riding him, without his permission;
and the Ras he disliked because he was attached
to his brother Tecla Himanute, and despised him.
The Ras did not show any kind of disrespect
to the king, but on the contrary consulted him, as
if in earnest, upon all occasions. Tecla, however,
getting some knowledge that there were con-
tinually messengers passing between Ras Guebra
and Welled Selass^, began to persuade the latter
to make an attack, and storm the mountain as he
had done twice before. This the Ras never
meant to do, knowing that it would be attended
with the loss of the greatest and bravest part of
his army, whose blood would lie upon his own
head ; he having twice given the mountain up to
Ras Guebra, when he might have .placed it in the
hands of some other chief on whom he could rely.
THE GAMA. 255
Samen being a large province, and governed by
a king's gamayit was agreed tbat Tecla Gorgis,
the king, should give the gama to any one of the
Ras's chiefs he chose, as governor of Samen;
accordingly the king, knowing that the Ras had
great esteem for Shum Temben Guebra Michael,
and that he was related to the family of Gus-
marsh Tusfu, Ras Guebra's father, choae him
to be governor. The drum was therefore beat,
and it was proclaimed that Guebra Michael was
Gusmarsh of all Samen, by the orders of the king
Tecla Gorgis, and the gama was given to him
by the king himself. The gama is a stripe of
silk stuff, about the width of a broad ribbon^
generally red and striped with some other colour,
which is tied round the head of one or more of
the king's servants, with a large silk rope round
the neck, and hanging down the breast ; this is
called quod. When a Ras is chosen, or his office
renewed, twelve young boys are equipped and
sent to him in this manner. Those intrusted in
this affair carry also, in a small calebash, a lion
with a cross painted upon white cloth. This is
an ancient custom among the Abyssinians, and
to this day they oblige the king, either Guarlu
or Tecla Gorgis, to send them the gama every
year at Mascal, the customary day, which is upon
the 17th of September ; Guxo has it every year
256 CIVILITIES PAID TO HAS GUEBRA.
firom Guarlu, whom he keeps shut up, more like
a prisoner at large than a king; and the Ras
Bometunes orders Guarlu and sometimes Tecla
Gorgis to send it to him. Gamas are also given to
chiefs who have a whole province under their
command.
Messengers stiU kept going backward and for-,
ward, and Ras Welled Selass^ sent his English
double tent to Ras Guebra, as a present. Thia
tent he esteemed very much, as it was brought,
among other presents, by Mr. Salt. Ras Guebra
sent in return several fptt sheep and some fresh
butter, remarkable for the goodness of its
quality and the best in this part of the coun->
try. Coming from Amba Hai, he also sent
to request that the Ras would fire his mudfar
[cannon] which he had heard so much talk about^
but at the same time begged he would do no
harm with it ; adding that he thought he could
not do a great deal, being at such a distance^
although he had heard that he could. The Ras
complied with his request, and appointed the
time, which was after dark next evening. I was
ordered by the Ras to put in foar or five car-
tridges, which I promised to do, but I did notj
knowing, that if I said it would be too much, and
perhaps burst the gun, the old gentleman would
say that I was fearful ; as, in the time of Gusmati
STORT OF A TURKISH SOLDIER. 257
Woldi Gabriel^ a poor Turk was killed by giving
way to such a foolish command from an Abys-
sinian.
The story of this poor fellow is as follows : —
A Greeks now in Abyssinia, a silversmith and
coppersmith by trade^ and a Turkish soldier,
<:ame into the country together. God knows hcrw
they found ^employment in the service of the
Gusmati Woldi Gabriel: the silversmith was
engaged in making .crowns and crosses^ and in
casting bells for churches, &c., and the Turk was
employed as a soldier ; but, the poor fellow not
being quite so expert as the Abyssinians in
climbing and running up and down the moun-
tsdns, the Gusmati found fault with him, and
told him he was not active enough to be a soldier
in ' his service. Ismael, which was his . name,
replied,' ^^ If you will make a cannon, I shall be
of more use to you than a hundred men or even a
thousand." — ^f Who can make it?" said the
Gusmati. " Avostalla, the Greek," said the
Turk ; when accordingly the Greek was sent for,
and, by the persuasion of the Gusmati, consented
to make the experiment, and orders were given
to buy all the brass in the country. In the course
of three months every thing was completed, and
the gun was cast acordingly, and a carriage built
such as the country workmen, under the direction
tS» STORT OF A TURKISH SOLDIER^
of bmael, could make. He fired the camion at
first with a sinall charge, which answered very
well* This was done in the maricet-plaoe of
Adowa^ where every body was afraid to be near
but himself; and well it was they were so timid,
for the Gusmati, who was sitting in front of his
house upon the hill^ to witness the proceedings
of Ismael, and who heard the explosion, sent
word to him that he had been afraid to put enough
powder in, and that the report was not loudier
dian that of a musket. Ismael accordingly put
in a lai^e charge, and a large piece of doth for
waddings and, upon his firing the gun, it burst uito
a number of pieces. The poor fellow's legs and
arms were broken in several places, and his bowels
cat out ; part of the carriage was found slung in
the ]Bxge efarro-tree, opppsite the church, Kudmi
Michael, nearly four hundred yards from the spot
where the piece burst. Hadge Nuro, now head*
carpenter to tiie Has, who assisted to make the
carriage, told m^ that he was standing about filky
yards off at the time, and witnessed the accident.
Wilh this example before my eyes, I put into the
gun no more than the usual charge of powder,
and a single ball, and proceeded to fire it. I was
at this time with the main army of the Ras, en-
camped upon a very high mountain opposite to
Amba Hai, where Ras Guebra had concentrated
EXPERIMENT WITH THE CANNON. 259
all bis forces. A deep valley lay between the
two armies^ about three miles across in a direct
Uzie^ in which our Fit-aurari^ or advanced guards
w^as stationed^ so that on my firing the gun at the
laaia gate, that defended the diificult pass into
Amba Hai, the shot passed directly over the
heads of that part of our army lying in the
valley*
As it was not my wish to hit the gate, I had
previously pointed the gun in such a manner as
to make the ball take effect considerably beloHr
the gate ; but the sensation it produced on both
armies, from its luminous appearance in its
passage, and the tremendous echoes that suc-
ceeded among the mountains, was very great and
decisive, as far as regarded the enemy.
The next morning Ras Guebra sent some
presents to the Ras, as well as to me ; requesting
the Ras, at the same time, to permit me to visit
him^ as he had several questions to ask me
relative to the gun ; and he also wished me to
instruct some of his men in the mode of putting
up the tent sent to him two days before^ none of
his own people being able to pitch it. The Ras,
having his suspicions, replied, that though Guebra
was welcome to the assistance of any one else in
his army, yet, that he could not part with his
white son, as he was accustomed to call me^ as he
260 MOVEMENTS OF THE ARMT.
always wished to have him immediately about his
own person. Having sent this message, the Ras
desired me to dismount the gun, and get the
different parts put up ready for carrjring again.
May 24th. The holyday Ouner Takley Hima-
nute. We marched, and descended into the valley
of Sugemet ; the Ras kept the king close in his
front, for fear he might desert and get to Wal-
dubba, and there produce more mischief than
ever, by sending messengers to Guxo, &c. Next
day we marched to Moi Ga, where we stopped,
it being Sunday, and the following day marched, to
the Tacazz^, which we crossed on the 27th, and
reached Overgalle, where we stopped a day, to
settle the affairs of that district, as it belonged to
Ras Guebra.
June 1st. We marched to Agova: next day to
Aterer Marts, and the next to Arde Darro.
CHAPTER VIII.
Pearce*s Journal resumed— His Return to the Camp and Recep-
tion by the Raa — Cry for the Ras's brother — Pearce*s Grass
taken by the King — Church of Chelicut — The Organ — Expe-
dient for Scaring Grass-Stealers — Rage of the King — ^The
Ras's Bu£foon — ^Buffoons kept by the Chiefs, and their Duties
— ^Tbe King dines with the Ras — Person and Character of King
Tecla Gox^s — ^His Treachery — His Departure for Axum—
Hail-Storm — Devastations of Elephants.
JuNB Srd, 1815. I set out to meet the Ras at
Saharte, and in the evening I arrived at his
csonp^ in the plain called Arde Darro. Every
one^ as well as the Ras^ was glad to see me
recovered and in perfect healthy continually sa-
luting me with the common words used upon such
meetings, after sickness, battle, or any danger,
meaning, " Glory to God that brought you out \"
As soon as I had alighted from my mule, I
hastened to the tent of Mr. Coffiti, where I found
him smoking his pipe, in good health and appa-
rently comfortable. We then went to the Ras
tc^ther ; he had been informed of the death of
tny son before I entered, and, on seeing me, he
uttered the customary words, used among all
Abyssinians, when they meet with a Mend who
262 PEARCES'S RETURN TO THE RAS.
has lately buried any of his family. ^^ Isgare
Sennarkar /" [I hope God is great towards yoa].
These words are also used at the breakin^-up
of a cry, to the relations of the deceased, who
collect on a spot by themselves, while all those
who are well-wishers come, one at a time, and
repeat the above sentence, which is answered by
thanks. It is ^a great affront, and always re«
membered as a sign of hatred, if this ceremony
should be neglected by any acquaintance.
The Ras expressed much grief at the death of
the boy, as he had several times sent for him and
taken him into his favour. After I had been
seated some time he asked me, among other
questions, where Debbib was, and if I had been
to see him lately. I said I had not; when
he inquired, " Did he not come to cry for your
boy V^ I said, he did not. " I am afrsdd,'' he con-
tinued, ^^ something has happened to him? for be
has not sent me any message for a long time^ und
then he was very ill.'* However, the old gentle-
man kept on playing at chess, which he often
does while his supper is on the table, seldom
rising quickly from the game unless his i^petile
is keener than usual. He will even hear lawsuits
when playing. At -supper he asked me several
questions concerning the peace between Suber
gadis and Giggar : he had already sent to take
ARRIVAL or THE ARMT AT ANTALO. 865
Asgas Giggar, but the latter, on hearing of the
return of the Ras, had decamped and crossed the
Tacazz^, by way of Mardier.
Next mommg we marched, and encamped at
Esta. The king remained in the same position
that he had occupied before, with scarcely twenty
people to attend upon him ; seeing there were no
hopes of his ever prospering, the others had all
deserted him, and taken other masters. Here
the Ras, who had ordered the Tigr^ army to
march by way of Temben to their respective
districts, could not conceive why they had not
obeyed his orders, and sent for Palambarus Toclu
to inquire into the matter, who told him that the
troops had all been dismissed, and that the chiefs
were only going to Antitlo upon af&drs of their
own. Aversaw, the governor of Ant&lo, and the
Ras's nephew, and Dofter Casio, his head secre-
tary and treasurer, came to meet him, but not a
word was spoken about his brother Debbib,
though the Ras really knew of his death. Per-
ceiving that his people wished to keep it a secret
till he arrived at Antklo, he took care not to
betray his knowledge of it, or to show that he
suspected any thing of the kind. Next morning
the army marched into Antklo, and halted when
they reached the market-place, where the priests
can^e to meet the Ras as be entered the town.
264 CRY FOR THE RAS S BROTHER.
and told him of the death of his brother*. From
that time the cries and the firing of muskets
began in all parts of the town, and never did I
see such downright folly. The multitude ,of
people was so great that it was impossible to
pass the streets, and the walls and tops of the
houses were covered with persons of both sexes,
young and old. It is the custom, in all parts of
Abyssinia, for the women to cheer their chief,
when passing, with a singular whining noise,
especially when returning from war, but this day
the noise was inexpressibly shocking. The Ras
himself strove to do what he could to put an end
to such folly, but to no purpose ; there was not
an individual to be se^n but with his face torn,
and scratched, and covered with blood. The Ras
had never been guilty of this barbarous practice
since I knew him, having heard from Mr. Salt
and myself that it was a sin against Christianity.
The cry was held three days. Safarling Guebra^
Abba, one of the most powerful chiefs on the
frontiers of the Galla, died a few days before,
and, as he was a great favourite with the Ras,
the cry was united with that made for Ito
Debbib.
As soon as the cry was over, the Ras gave me
and Mr. CoflSn leave to go to Chelicut, where my
wife had prepared a feast for us and our people.
PEARCES MEADOW. 265
according to the custom of the country. All
neighbours were invited, and kept up the feast
for several days, in great glee.
June 12th. The Ras and the king came to
Chelicut, to spend the fast of the Apostles. The
next morning the king visited his daughter, and
rode round Chelicut to see the Ras's gardens and
my house. His majesty particularly admired my
meadow, the grass being very high at that time,
which was the more remarkable as it was the dry
season; he even took such a fancy to it, that he
gave his'servauts orders to cut some of the grass
daily for his horses' food while he remained at
Chelicut. This did not please me, and I accord-
ingly told him that no person should cut it, as
the meadow belonged to me; upon which he
sent and informed the Ras of the affair, and the
Ras sent for me, and told me that the king would
not remain at Chelicut long, and therefore, he
begged me, in order to put an end to disputes,
and gratify his majesty, to let one of his grass**
cutters cut a load for him every day and no
more. To this I willingly consented, and the Ras
sent to the king, to inform him that the piece of
ground on which the grass grew was given to
Pearce on oath, and that of course neither he
himself nor any one else could cut the grass,
or ^ven go across the field, without Pes.rce's
VOL. I. N
266 CONVERSATION WITH THE KING.
consent; though^ in consideration of his majesty,
the latter had consented to let him have a load
every day for the use of his horses ; at this the
king appeared to be a little out of humour.
1 afterwards conducted the king to the head
church, to show him the articles presented to the
Ras by Mr. Salt; he expressed great surprise at the
workmanship of the marble table, and the picture,
saying, ^^ Ras Welled Selass^ has surpassed the
ancient kings of Ethiopia for grandeur, and even
brought the Feringees to gibber^ [tribute] then
looking round to me, with his large eyes fixed
stedfastly upon me, he said in a disdainful tone :
** Pearce, do not the people of your country lose
their heads if they deny their king any things as
for example his own grass ?'* ^^ If it were his
that was denied him,"' I replied, " certainly, but
none but a madman would do that ; though, if it
were not his own," I added, " he would pay the
current price for it, as other people do." ^^ How,*^
said he, ^^ can he be king, if every blade of grass
in the kingdom is not his V* " Yes," said I, " he
can be a king for all that, for he is always a good
Christian, and such a one knows that God gave
all men the same right of living upon earthy
which was made for man alone, and that he, as
king, was to be a guard against taking one from
another, and not to take from them himself."
THE ORGAN. 267
^^ You Feringees are cnnning dogs," said he,
**^ Brave and true," replied I. The organ, which
Mr. Coffin had just begun to turn, next took his
attention ; he stood several minutes looking at it,
at last went close to it, looked at the inside, and
appeared quite lost in contemplation. " I hear
it breathe,** said he, several times, and as, upon
patting his ear close, he could hear a hiss now
and then, occasioned by there being a small hole
in the leather on one-side of the bellows, he cried
out, '^ By Saint Michael, there is a snake in it !
I hear it plainly ;" and quickly drawing back,
he exclaimed, " Such a thing which contains a
devil cannot be fit for a church." Allicar Barhe,
the high- priest, standing close by, said, ** Ganvar,
I beg your pardon, it is an angel, not a devil ; our
church has not suffered in any way since it came
into it, but on the contrary has rather increased
in prosperity. Ito Pearce has opened the whole
before the carmart [congregation of priests] and
all are of opinion that nothing but the wisdom
of man, such as God gave unto Solomon, had
made it ;" and he added, " Abuna Comfu told us
that he saw one in the church of St. Paulos and
Petros, in Rome, as large as twenty of this."
After we had shown him every thing, he returned,
greatly astonished at what he had seen, to his
house, which was not far from mine. The man
n2
268 6RASS-STEALERS.
who looked after my meadow told me that se-
veral of Itsa Tecla Gorgis's men had been there,
and wanted to cut grass by force. ^^ But I cried
out," he said, '* Ber Tecla AmlcLchj Ber Segar
Jtmy' meaning. By the substance of Tecla, by
the flesh of the king, you shall not cut it ! a
mode they have of expressing resistance to op-
pression ; yet even then they would scarcely let
the grass alone.
Next day I was informed that several loads had
been stolen from the middle of the meadow
during the night, which greatly vexed me and
my servant, and I determined in consequence to
plan some scheme of revenge. I told the Ras
what had happened at supper-time, and the
scheme we proposed highly pleased him, as he
would have somethimg to make a laugh of at
dinner next day, ' especially as Tottamasey, the
Ras's clown, was to be there. So, after it was
well dark, knowing that the Amhara are terribly
frightened at fire-arms, we placed several of our
men, at different distances, round the meadow,
each with his musket well loaded with blank
cartridges, and gave them directions to lie close
in the high grass until they should hear the first
one fire. We put out the lights in the house just
as the moon was rising, to give the appearance of
our being asleep, and we sat over the gateway
ORASS-STEALERS. 269
of the house that looked towards the meadow.
I and Mr. Coffin, with two or three who we knew
could run well, took off our white cloths that
we might not be seen, and put on skins and
went to the part whiere we had observed nine or
ten men cross the riyer, and go into the middle
of the field. After we had got as near to- them
as possible, and had seen them cutting away,
without dreaming of what would happen, we let
fiy, and it is impossible to describe the confusion
into which the poor fellows were thrown. They
dropped their cloths and skins, and ran as fast
as possible to the opposite side of the meadow,
where they had another gun or two fired at them,
at which they ran some one way and some
another, but, whichever way they went, they had
a gun fired at them; three of them dropped down
as if shot dead, through fear, the others cried out
Serlassey ! Serlassey ! and crossed the river, and
got clear of us, but three of their companions,
their reaping-hooks, cloths, and skins, remained
in our possession. These three we took prison-
.ers to our house, and tied them fast together ;
while those who had escaped ran to the king's
house, quite naked, telling a most lamentable
story to the servants, who were all awakened
by their noise, and a cry was soon set up by
the whole household for the three, whom.
270 GRASS-STEALEBS.
as they declared, Pearce aod his soUiers had
ahot.
The king, beii^ awakened by the cry, and being
infonned of the matter, flew into ayiol^rt rag«s
and sent to the Ras, dechuri&g that one of tiie
men shot by the Feringee, though poor, ww
related to him, and that he demanded blood for
blood. The Ras, though he could scarcely leErain
from laughing, pretended to be greatly concerned,
and said, that at day-light he would enquire into
the matter, adding, *^ If I send to fetch them now
it will only make bad worse, for they havepow^r
and shot Plough to shoot every man I have.''
The king, who had himself persuaded the gra^s-
cutters to steal our grass, never lay down all th^
remainder of the night, swearing he would have
life for life, otherwise he would raise the priests
against the Ras. Meanwhile his men were
getting quite intoxicated, and at sunrise I gave
them their cloths, reaping-hooks, &c., and a good
draught of brandy each, and sent them staggering
away to their master, where they arrived just as
he was pressing the Ras to attack my house.
Their appearance incensed Tecla ten times worse
than before, thinking he had been deprived of a
night's rest, and given me and Mr. Coffin reason
to think him our enemy.
At dinner Tottamasey began by pretending he
BUFFOONS. 271
had reaUy seen the Amhara in their fright ; he
put on such pitiable looks and dying postures,
mimicking the Amhara who thought themselves
dead when they fell, that the Ras could scarcely
taste a morsel all the time for laughing at the
buffoon and the numerous chiefs who were sitting
about him with their mouths fiill, staring and
affecting the motions of Tottamasey. This per-
sonage is very old, but a remarkably lively man,
and was the head harlequin to Ras Michael. The
governors of the provinces commonly keep several
persons of this kind, to divert them at feasts and
upon holydays, and they have the income of a
district allowed them for their maintenance.
They are in general good poets, and run, or ride,
before their chief when going from or to war,
descanting in poetry, and in a loud voice, to the
chief and his troops, upon the reward of bravery ;
the redemption of the sins of a soldier, who dies
in the presence of his master in the field of glory;
the curse which God sends upon those who flinch
or run away, and many such subjects, to keep up
and stimulate the courage of the soldiers. These
people are called in the Amhara language Ozmare,
in Tigr^ Warta ; the enemy never kill them if
taken in battle, any more than they do trum-
peters and fifers, if Christians; but the Galla
^ spare no one in war.
272 THE KING DINES WITH THE RAS.
The Bas remaiued. here until the conclusioB
of the fast, which is on the 5th of July, on
which day he invited the king to dine with
him, as also on the 7th, which is the great
holyday, called Hamley Selass^, or the anniver-
sary of the Holy Trinity appearing to the Patri-
arch Abraham before Sodom and Gomorrah were
burnt. On this day the king dined with the Ras,
who sat upon the carpets spread upon the ground;
the king was seated upon the high sofa, and no
person of the court was allowed to sit down,
until the king had done eating, after which he
pointed out such of the chiefs as should eat. i
had been sitting with Mr. Co£Gln close behind the
Ras, from the time the table was spread, but we
had not tasted any thing, except what the Ras
was pleased to cram now and then into our
mouths. It is very common at the table of any
chief in Abyssinia, for him to order the selaf^,
that is the man or woman who is feeding him, to
give food to those who are sitting near him ; but
this is not the custom with Tecla Gorgis, who
eats ravenously, and always has a man to hold a
screen before his face, to hinder him from noticing
any person ; indeed he is the only one I knew of
so selfish a disposition. In his personal appear-
ance he looks quite the reverse ; he is tall, and
stout in proportion, always wears his hair long
CHARACTER OF RING TECLA GORGIS. 273
and plaited; hag large eyes^ a Roman nose, not
much beard, and a very manly and expressive
countenance, though he is a great coward. He
has a dark shining skin, which is very singular,
as the king Itsa Yohannes, and his wife, Ozoro
Sancheviyer, Tecla's father and mother, were
very fair for Abyssinians, and Tecla Hima-
nute, his brother, was also very fair, while he,
the youngest son, is as dark as mahogany. The
Ras, who knew the whole family, often remarked
this, and repeated ^^ Black without, and black
within.'' The character of Tecla, through life,
has been abominable : he is by all accounts sixty-
six years of age, though he makes his age much
less, as, in general, the Abyssinians dislike to be
reckoned old when they really are so, and none
either of the higher or lower classes know their
own age exactly. They keep no account from
the year, or month, in which they were born,
but from the time that such a king, Ras, Gus-
marsh, or governor of the province to which they
belong, reigned or governed. Thus, when you
ask any one how old he is^ he will tell you that
he was bom in the reign of such a king, or Ras,
&c., leaving you to find out how many years ago
that may be, and the nearest account you can get
from him is, that he was born in the beginning,
middle, or end of their reign.
N 6
274 CHARACTER OF TECLA GORGIS.
Tecla Gorgis is remarkably proud of hig per-
son : though a little bald at the top of his head,
he manages to have the hair, which is nearly
a span long, so plaited and disposed a^ to hide
the bald part. He always wears a silver or gold
bodkin with a large head, called wolever, upon
his forehead ; and round the instep, and below
the ancle, a string of oval silver or gold beads,
such as are worn by all women rich and poaty and
which are called aloo.
It may be here proper to give some account of
this once great emperor's character, which I in-
tend to draw according to what I have heard, not
only by word of mouth from numbers, but also
from his history at Axum, and my own observa-
tions. I shall begin by stating, in plun EngUsh,
that he is a great liar and a great miser, and
from his childhood has been remarkable for his
diangeable and deceitful temper, and utter dis*
regard of his oath. When su^icious of any of
his people, it was his habit to send privately to
tiiem, telling them, whatever they were concerned
in, to let him know all, as he himself had learnt
somewhat of their proceedings frcnn people who
were continually putting bad things into his
bead ; the poor offenders, who took all this for
troth, would beg his majesty to swear to foigive
them, a custoniary practice in Abyssinia on such
HIS TREACHERY. 275
occasions. Tecla never hesitated about taking
the oath) but would immediately kiss the cross
when presented to him by the priest, who had
the management of the sacred affair, and, as soon
as he was gone firom his presence, would say to
the officers who attended upon his person, ^^ See,
I scrape firom my tongue, which made the oath
and touched the cross, all it has uttered,'' and so
saying he would put his tongue between his teeth,
and^ drawing it in, would spit, and exclaim,
** When the rebel comes, do your duty as I shall
order you." In this manner he has brought his
subjects even from the Galla, where they had
fled for protection, fearing his treachery. Comfu
Adam, governor of Begemder, and a near relation
to the king, was trepanned in this manner, and
had his tongue cut out on his arrival. The Gus-
mati Woldi Gabriel, son of Has Michael, who
was on terms of the greatest friendship with him,
and had marched from Tigr^ to assist him against
Ras Ilo and Marro, who had rebelled against
Tecla, and almost driven him from Gondar, be-
came, after conquering all Gojam and the neigh-
bouring districts that had been concerned in the
rebellion, an object of jealousy in the eyes of
the king; who, after inventing his treacherous
schemes, and swearing and releasing the rebels,
who he well knew would be glad to ,take revenge
276 TREACHBRT OF TECLA GORGIS.
on Woldi Gabriel^ sent for him, apparently in a
friendly manner, and on his arrival at court said
to him, ** Woldi Gabriel, I have made up my
mind to go to Shoa, and take the Tigr^ army
with me." This surprised the Gusmati, who
imagined it to be a joke ; however, seeing the
king in earnest, he represented to him that the
Tigr^ troops were already much tired and num-
bers of them sick, and that he had, on the con-
clusion of the war, dismissed more than ten
thousand to their respective districts, as he had
promised him that he should return to Tigr^.
He added, " I could never attempt to take my
army through a country uihabited only by Pagans.
What village would receive our lame and sick ?
Would they not all be murdered by my own
hands, if I were to commit such an act of folly t**
The king answered, " Why do you consider the
death of a fly?" "Fly," said Woldi Gabriel,
" if my soldiers are but flies, I am naught but a
large fly." " If you are no more than a fly," said
the king, " you are not able to serve me." He
immediately ordered the very rebels whom Woldi
had conquered, to lay hold of him and bind him,
and the whole of his troops were stripped of every
thing, and some, in attempting to escape, were
killed. Woldi Gabriel was kept in chains, until
he brought the last article of value he possessed.
HIS IMMORALITY. 277
to ransom himself^ while his brave troops had to
find their way home, over the cold mountains of
Samen, without either cloths or skins to cover
their nakedness.
Tecla Gorgis, though thought to be a very learned
man in the Scriptures, sets the worst of examples
to Christians, for, notwithstanding his professed
religious principles, he is the greatest adulterer
in existence. Though he keeps Ozoro Cottser
and Ozoro Teschen as regular wives, he has, in
general, when at home, ten or twelve other women
in the same house, parted off like so many
mules or horses. He pays no respect to beauty,
nor scarcely to age, no matter whether it be a
lady, a beggar, or a nun. He has a number
of children in all parts of the country, some by
women of the lowest class, many of whom are
grown up and are great vagabonds.
The Ras by this time had become tired of the
king's conduct and company, and, fearing he
might corrupt the morals of his daughter, on the
9th July he ordered him to march for Axum,
notwithstanding the rains which had begun, and
which rendered the roads very bad, and also gave
directions how the king should be provided for,
allowing him a certain income to be administered
to him by Palambarus Toclu, whom the Ras had
secretly charged to keep a strict watch upon
S78 DEPAETURE OF THE KING.
his motions, and not let him escape from Axum,
though, mitil the conclusion of the rains, it w^ould
be impossible for him to pass the Tacazz^ to
Waldubba. I went with the Ras, who accom-
panied him, as far as Arder Cola, and Mr. Coffin
rode my horse, by desire of the king, who told
him that he had heard a great deal of talk about it«
In fact he was highly pleased, and declared it to
be a better horse than the Ras's favourite Bulla.
This horse was given to me by the Ras, at/ the
last request of Mr. Salt, when taking his parting
leave } although the Gusmarsh Liban, who had
given it to the Ras, had made him promise to
keep it for his own riding, and none but Mr. Salt
could have prevailed upon him to break this pro-
mise. On our taking leave of the king to retxirn,
he said to me and Mr. Coffin, ^^ After the rains
are over come and pay me a visit at Axum ; we
shall some day or another be great friends." On
our return the Ras seemed to be quite merry,
and more lively than he had been for some days
past, a sign that he was glad he had got rid
of his troublesome guest. He remained at Cheli-
cut, Bnd there kept his fast of fifteen days for the
Blessed Virgin.
August 19th. We had a very heavy fall of
hail and rahi, which lasted an uncommonly long
time. Unluckily for me I had two calves and
A FLOOD. W9
fifty-three goats, belonging to me and Mr. Co£Ein,
washed away by the flood, which, in return, filled
our meadow with a quantity of large trees, that
it had rooted out from the banks of the river.
Several of these were left within twenty yards of
my house, and the wood was sufficient to last us
at least two years and a half or three years for
our own use; but we distributed some among
our neighbours. It is a lawdn Abyssinia that if
Providence sends you any thing by a flood, such
as a tree or piece of timber of any kind, even if it
has been already cut, it belongs to the own^ of
the field upon which it is found ; but if it be not
found upon cultivated groimd, then the person
who first finds it has a right to it. Until this day
we had had very moderate rains, such as were
required for the growth of the com, &c., indeed
the com was in a very thriving state, but wanted
a little more rain; but this last rain did more
harm than good, for in our part the hail cut the
young grass and almost destroyed it, and with it
our future hopes of a good harvest.
August 29th. The Ras went to Mucculla,
where he kept his new year's day, on the 1st of
September, and the holyday of Kudus Yohannis,
Saint John's day. Here he remained until the
11th, when he visited the spot of Abba Annemier,
with all his troops, as is customary every year.
280 RAVAGES OF ELEPHANTS.
September the 14th. We returned to Chelicut,
and, on the 16th, after receiving my fat M ascal
cow as usual, I and Mr. Coffin, as in other years,
mustered all our people dressed in their warlike
habit, and accompanied the Ras to Ant&lo. The
Enderta troops were reviewed the same day, and
luckily we were among them, as no musket-men
were allowed to be present on the occasion, on
account of the accidents that happened before, as
I have already related. Nothing particular took
place this Mascal between the Ras and his chiefs,
excepting the affair of Asgas Giggar, who had
gone into the service of Ras Guebra, and whose
districts the Ras gave to Palambarus Toclu and
to Ito Sanna.
October the 10th. We went to Lama. Here we
found, as the Ras had been previously informed,
that the elephants and rhinoceroses had broken
down the fences round the church, trampled all
the vines and ruined the corn, which had been in
g^eat perfection. It is well known in Shir^ and
several other parts of Abyssinia, as well as here,
where elephants frequent, that they pluck up the
young corn and trample it, as if done on purpose
and out of mischief. The poor monks had quitted
the church and fled to the caves and mountains,
but their last year's stock not being hurt, they
had plenty of provisions, which they had taken
RAVAGES OF ELEPHANTS. 281
care to carry with them to their new abode. The
Ras thought it would be only folly to repair the
fence again^ for it was certain the elephants
would destroy it as fast as it was repaired. He
therefore told the monks to do their best for the
future and look out for themselves^ and soon left
the place apd went to Mucculla. On our way
the hunters killed numbers of partridges and
giimea-fowl, and some wild hogs or boars. The
whole country being at peace, the Ras remained
quiet^ hearing lawsuits and playing at chess, his
favourite pastime.
This is perhaps a good opportunity to give
some account of the manners, customs, &c. of
the Abyssinians, acquired from my own long
experience, and by carefully observing all classes.
CHAPTER IX.
Chtracter, Maimers, and Customs, of the Abyssinians — ^Their
Ckimplexion — Precarious nature of the Matrimonial tie — ^Mas-
ters and Servants — Mechanics — Extraordinary Superstition
respecting the Potters and workers in Iron — Supposed to have
the Power of Transforming themselves into Hysenas — The
Zackary — Persons possessed with Evil Spirits — Cure for that
Disorder— Case of Pearce's Wife — Diseases — Treatment in
Small-pox — ^Four Species of Venereal Complaint — Medicines
— Scrophula — ^The Tape-worm — ^Wild Honey — ^Lying-in Wo-
men — Ceremony of Christening — ^Whimsical Practice to pre-
serve Children from dying — Marriage — ^Divorce — ^Law-suits —
Wagers.
Thb Abyssinians vary much in their colour, some
being very black, with nearly straight hair, others
copper-coloured, and the hair not so straight,
some much fairer with almost woolly hair^ and
some of the same complexion, but straight-haired.
They also vary much in their temper, and, as is
the case in all countries and classes of people,
they are mild, passionate, barbarous, compas
sionate, true and false, proud and miserly,
even in the same family. This can scarcely be
otherwise, especially in towns governed by gover-
nors and petty chiefs, where you may find wo-
men the mothers of five, six, or more children ;
LAXITY OF THE MARRIAGE TIE. 288
the father d one an Amharay of another an Agow>
of aoLOtfaer a Tigr^^ and of another a Galla. In-^
deecl^ I know many people ci quality who can
give no account of their fathers; but this is most
common among the lower classes of the people,
and is occasioned by the continual alteration in
the ^vemment. A man in a town or village
may take a wife with whom he may wish to live
all bis life, and, when he is perhaps getting com^
fortably settled, the governor whom he serves is
driven from his office and another appointed in
hi» stead. The new governor immediately seizes
every person's land and property belonging to
or in the service of the ex-governor, which he
gives to one of his own soldiers or followers ;
Ygbile the former owner is obliged to fly to ano«>
ther district for refuge, leaving his wife and
children, if he has any, in her native place. She
will soon get another husband, while her last, if
he prospers, finding another master, will also
marry another wife. Soldiers quit their master's
service as they please, and go from province to
province, and from governor to governor, as they
think proper, and for their advantage, whether'
Amhara or Tigre, being quite regardless if it is
to the most malicious enemy of their former mas-
ter, as punishment is seldom inflicted for such
offendes. Indeed, the wotada [soldiers of Abys-
884 ARMS OF SOLDIERS.
sinia] are seldom settled for many months toge-
ther^ miless it be those who are m the service of
a governor virho rules over the very village in
which they were born. These in general culti-
vate land, and live comfortably without paying the
usual income of a peasant to government; though,
were he to neglect one encampment or any mardi
made by his governor, either in the service of his
king, or Ras, or upon his own account, every
thing that he has is seized, and then he must
look out for another master in another district,
or live in his native village or town as a pea-
sant.
All their arms, such as spears, shields^ and
knives, the soldiers find for themselves^ but
matchlocks are the property of their masters ; so,
when they wish to desert, they hang their gun
up in their master's house and depart. Although
there would not be the least chance of the mas-
ter's recovering a gun if a soldier should take it
and desert to an enemy, yet, I never knew any
thing of the kind happen, not even when they
have quitted their master's premises in a rage to
go over to the enemy. They frequently return'
after being some months away, and their master,
in general, after swearing a few petty oaths not
to allow them admittance, makes it up, and they
enter with a large stone upon their necks, bowing
MASTERS AND SERVANTS. 285
with their foreheads to the ground, and again be-
come as familiar with their master on the first
day as they were the day they deserted him. In
this manner each chief becomes acquainted with
the others' actions, their way of living, their tem-
pers, their family concerns, whether mean or
splendid, and their disposition towards women.
Indeed, they are all very particular in enquiring
into the very closest connections of one another's
families, especially when at enmity ; and these
matters often become the subject of their talk
when sitting over their bruly, or horn of maize.
It is well knovm to numbers, as well as to my-
self, that a chief will sometimes command a ser-
vant m whom he has great confidence to desert
him, and go and live with one with whom he is at
enmity, purposely to become acquainted with all
his connections ; and, to make it appear that the
servant is really dismissed, his master, who has
put him up to every thing that he wants him to
do, will, upon the day appointed, affect to be in a
great rage with him in the presence of numbers
of bystanders, ordering him to be stripped of the
small piece of cloth about his waist, the only
thing they wear about them, and beaten, and
turned out of his premises. The servant, hearing
the order, drops his cloth and runs off naked, and
soon after finds his way to the house of his mas-
286 MASTERS AND SERVANTS.
ter's enemy, who is highly pleased at the oppor-
tunity of possessing a once trusty servant in
adversity; and, upon seeing the servant naked
and with the apparent marks of a whip, which he
had inflicted upon himself by scratching upon his
skin, feels sure of the quarrel having really hap-
pened, and gives him a cloth, as is customary in
all parts of Abyssinia, and throughout all classes
of the inhabitants. The Abyssinians are very
partial to new acquaintances, and in consequence
the new-comer is the greatest balermal, or fa-
vourite, in the family. Some of these rogues will
remain a whole year even, and When they at last
quit, they do not immediately return to their ori-
ginal master^ but will keep about his premises at
a distance for some time, begging every chief
who visits the house to entreat their master to
forgive them, which is done to prevent the chief
whom they have been living With, and who per-
haps may not reside at a great distance, from
suspecting the scheme.
The people who live in the larger sort of towns,
and esjjecially the mechanics, in general lead the
most undisturbed life, and are considered the best
Christians. Hiose who work in silver and gold,
in brass, or at the carpenters* trade, are esteemed
as persons of high rank; but those who worl^
in iron or pottery are not allowed the privilege
J
BUDAS. 287
even of being in common society^ nor are they
permitted to receive the sacrament as Christians.
They are reckoned even by their nearest neigh-
bours to have the supernatural power of changing
themselves into hysenas^ or other beasts^ and
upon that account every body dreads them. All
* It is very difficult to trace the foundation of this singular
saperstition, which is most implicitly believed by every Abys-
sinian, Bjad which Mr. Coffin himself speaks of with a degree of
seriousness that can scarcely be wondered at after the almost
inexplicable facts that have come immediately under his own
knowledge. These Budas, or workers in iron and pottery, are
distingmshed, it appears, from other classes, by a peculiar gold
ear-ring, which is worn by the whole race, and which kind of ring,
Mr. Coffin declares, he has frequently seen in the ears of hyaenas
that have been shot in traps or speared by himself and others ;
but in what manner these ornaments came to be placed in so sin-
gular a situation, Mr. Coffin, who has taken considerable pains
to investigate the subject, has never been able to obtain the
slightest clue to discover. Besides the power which it is sup-
posed these Budas possess of transforming themselves, at will,
into hyaenas and some other animals, though the former seems to
be their favourite shape, many strange stories are told of the
diseases they are able to inflict on their enemies through their
evil eye ; and so fully convinced are the Abyssinians, that these
unfortunate blacksmiths are in the habit of defrauding the grave
of its dues, in their midnight mcuquerades, that no one will ven-
ture to eat what is called quantevy or dried meat, in their houses ;
though they have not the smallest repugnance to sit down with
them to a repast of rata meaty where the killing of the animal
before their eyes dissipates at once their former horrible illu-
sion.
I shall here add one story respecting these Budas, related to
me by Mr. Coffin, to the circumstances of which he may be
said to have been nearly an eye-witness. It happened that
a^yiong his servants he had hired one of these Budas, who,
one evening, but when it Was perfect day-light, came to
288 BUDAS.
\
convulsions or hysteric disorders, which are as
common in Abyssinia as in other parts of the
world, are here attributed to the evil eye of these
people. They are called by the Amhara Budoy
and by the Tigr^ Tebbib. Many marvellous deeds
done by them have been related to me by persons
request his master to give him leave of absence till the morning.
This request was immediately granted, and the yonng man took
his leave ; but scarcely was Mr. Coffin's head turned to his other
servants, when some of them called out, pointing in the direction
the Buda had taken, " Look, look, he is turning himself into a
hyaena!" Mr. Coffin instantly looked round, but though he cer-
tainly did not witness the transformation, yet the young man had
vanished, and he saw a large hysena running off at about a hun«
dred paces distance. This happened in an open plain, without
tree or bush to intercept the view. The young man returned in
the morning, and was attacked by his companions on the subject
of his change, which he rather affected to countenance than deny,
according to the usmal practice of his brethren.
From the latter circumstance, I should be inclined to ima>
gine that the belief in the above superstitious notions is, from
some motive or other, purposely fostered by the Budas them-
selves. The trades they follow are some of the most lucrative in
the country, and, as they are both exclusively in the hands of par-
ticular families, in whom the right of exercising them descends
from father to son, it appears probable that, in order to render
themselves more secure from all chance of competition, they may
wish to envelope themselves in darkness and mystery, and even
place the ornaments above-mentioned in the ears either of the
3^ung hysenas they may take, or the old ones they can entrap, and
then dismiss them to the wilderness, with their newly acquired
embellishments. I mentioned this idea to Mr. Coffin, who
seemed to think the conjecture more than probable, and pro-
mised on his return to the country to do every thing in his power
to ascertain the fact. It is, however, but fair to own, that he
says he never saw a very young hyaena with the ornaments in
question.— JSfifti/or.
THE ZACKARY. 289
of superior intelligence of both sexes^ which, how^
ever ridiculous, may serve to illustrate the su-
perstitious character of the people in this part of
the \^orld. Although these Budas are obliged to
put up with reproaches and all idanner of scorn
from other Christians, and even their nearest
neighbours, yet they are partial to that religion,
and^ though not allowed the sacrament, keep the
whole of the fasts and Lents as strictly as any
Christians in the country. There are, indeed,
Mahometan and Jew Budas, and, as I have before
said, all that work in iron and pottery are deemed
such. What this whimsical notion sprang from I
never could learn. Gojam is the province sup-
posed to contain most of them.
The Zackary are another extraordinary set of
beings: though esteemed good Christians, I have
myself seen them go roaring about the towns,
making a most dreadful noise, and being appa-
rently in great trouble, whipping themselves, and
at times cutting their flesh with kniveg. These
people are most numerous in the province of
Tigr^, and they have a church which is resorted to
by none but themselves; it is at no great distance
from Axum, and is dedicated to their saint, Oun
Arvel. They are very proud of styling them-
selves descendants of Saint George. In their
church Oun Arvel they pretend that a Ught burns
VOL. I, o
290 THE TIORETIER.
continually without the assistance of human aid.
I have more than once watched an opportunity to
blow this light out^but those in care of it were too
attentive to their duty to let me succeed^ though I
once e£Fected my purpose in pointing out a simi-
lar imposition of these priests at Jummer-a-Ma-
riam in Lasta.
There is also a holy water at the church Oun
Arvel, which is greatly esteemed for the cure of
persons afflicted with evil spirits. This is a
very wonderful disorder, which I cannot pass
over in silence, though the reader may think it
fabulous and ridiculous ; yet we have accounts of
something of the same kind in the New Testament,
which the priests and learned men of Abyssinia
believe to be the same complaint. This complaint
is called tigretier; it is more common among the
women than among the men. The tigretier
seizes the body as if with a violent fever, and
from that turns to a lingering sickness, which
reduces the patients to skeletons and often kills
them, if the relations cannot procure the proper
remedy. During this sickness their speech is
changed to a kind of stuttering, which no one can
understand but those afflicted with the same dis-
order. When the relations find the malady to be
the real tigretier^ they join together to defray
the expenses of curing it ; the first remedy they
CURE FOR THE TIGRETIER. 2Vl
in general attempt, is to procure the asaifltaace
of a learned Dofter, who reada the Gospel of
St. Jobn, and drenches the patient with cold
water daily for the space of seven days — an ap-
plication that very often proves fatal. The niost
effectual cure, though far more expensive than
the former, is as follows. The relations hire for
a certain sum of money a band of trumpeters,
drummers, and fifers, and buy a quantity of li-
quor } then all the young men and women of the
place assemble at the patient's house, to perform
the following most extraordinary ceremony.
I once was called in by a neighbour to see
his wife, a very young woman, and of whom
he was very fond, who had the misfortune to be
alBSicted with this disorder; and the man being
an old acquaintance of mine, and always a close
comrade in the camp, I went every day, when at
home, to see her, but I could not be of any ser*
vice to her, though she never refused my medi-
cines. At this time I could not understand a
word she said, although she talked very freely,
nor could any of her relations understand her.
She could not bear the sight of a book or a priest,
for at the sight of either she struggled, and was
apparently seized with acute agony, and a flood
of tears, like blood mingled with water, woidd
pour down her face from her eyes. She had lain
o2
292 CURE FOR THE TIORETIER.
three months in this lingering state, living upon
BO little that it seemed not enough to keep a hu-
man body alive; at last her husband agreed to
employ the usual remedy^ and, after preparing for
the maintenance of the band, during the time it
would take to effect the cure, he borrowed from
all hb neighbours their silver ornaments, and
loaded her legs, arms, and neck, with them.
The evening that the band began to play, I
seated myself close by her side as she lay upon
the couch, and, about two minutes after the trum-
pets had begun to sound, I observed her shoulders
begin to move, and soon afterwards her head and
breast, and in less than a quarter of an hour she
sat upon her couch. The wild look she had^ though
sometimes she smiled, made me draw off to a
greater distance, being almost alarmed to see one
nearly a skeleton move with such strength; her
head, neck, shoulders, hands, and feet, all made a
strong motion to the soimd of the music, and in
this manner she went on by degrees until she
stood up on her legs upon the floor. Afterwards
she be^an to dance, and at times to jump about,
and at last, as the music and noise of the singers
increped, she often sprang three feet from the
ground. When the niusio slackened, she would
appear quite out of temper, but, when it became
louder, she would smile and be delighted, During
CURE FOR THE TIORETIER. 293
tMs exercise she never shewed the least symp-
tom of being tired, though the musicians were
thoroughly exhausted; and when they stopped to
refresh themselves by drinking and resting a
littl^ she would discover signs of discontent.
Next day, according to the custom in the
care of this disorder, she was taken into the mar-
ket-place, where several jars of maize or tstig
were set in order by the relations, to give drink
to the musicians and dancers. When the crowd
had assembled, and the music was ready, she was
brought forth and began to dance and throw her-
self into the maddest postures imaginable, and in
this manner she kept on the whole day. Towards
evening, she began to let fall her silver ornaments
from her neck, arms, and legs, one at a time, so
that in the course of three hours she was stripped
of every article. A relation continually kept going
after her as she danced, to pick up the ornaments,
and afterwards delivered them to the owners from
whom they were borrowed. As the sun went
down, she made a start with such svdftness, that
the fastest runner could not come up with her,
and, when at the distance of about two hundred
yards, she dropped on a sudden, as if shot. Soon
afterwards, a young man, on coming up with her,
fired a matchlock over her body, and struck her
upon the back with the broad side of his large
294 CURE FOR THE TIQRETIER.
knife^ and asked her name^ to which she answered
as when in her common senses^ a sure proof of
her being cnred ; for, during the time of this ma-
lady^ those afflicted with it never answer to their
Christian name. She was now taken up in a very
weak condition and carried home, and a priest
came and baptized her again in the name of the
Father, Son, and Holy Ghoist, which ceremony
concluded her cure. Some are taken in this man-
ner to the market-place for many days before
they can be cured, and it sometimes happens that
they cannot be cured at all. I have seen them in
these fits dance with a brufyy or bottle of maize,
upon their heads, without spilling the liquor, or
letting the bottle fall, although they have put
themselves into the most extravagant postures*
I could not have ventured to write this from
hearsay, nor could I conceive it possible, imtil I
was obliged to put this remedy in practice upon
my own wife, who was seized with the same
disorder, and then I was compelled to have a still
nearer view of this strange disorder*. I at first
* I am mach indined to believe» from what I have leamt from
Mr. Coffin as well as from the whole account itself, that, had
Pearce persisted in his first remedy, he would have found it per-
fectly efficacious. It seems the Abyssinian ladies are remarkably
fond. of decking themselves out with trinkets and finery of aU
tfbrts, and of making themselves of consequence; and as, on the
occasions in question, a lady's degree of importance is weighed by
CASE OF PEARCE's WIFE. 295
thought that a whip would be of some service,
and' one day attempted a few strokes, when un-
noticed by any person, we being by ourselves, and
I having a strong suspicion that this ailment
sprang from the weak minds of women, who were
encouraged in it for the sake of the grandeur, rich
dress, and music, which accompany the cure.
But how much was I surprised, the moment I
struck a light blow, thinking to do good, to find
that she became like a corpse, and even the joints
of her fingers became so stiff that I could not
straighten them; indeed I really thought that sh^
was dead, and immediately made it known to the
people in the house that she had fainted, but did
not tell them the cause, upon which they imme-
diately brought music, which I had for many
the Talue and number of the ornaments and attendants, famished
by her relatives and friends, I £Buacy the source of this pretended
complaint arises &om causes somewhat allied to those, which not
unfrequently induce our school-boys and young ladies to try the
patience of their medical attendants and friends, by shamming
anomalous disorders. Similar practices are by no means uncom-;^
mon among our soldiers, and I have heard many of our army
surgeons declare, that it often requires more sagacity to detect
what are termed maUngeren than to discover the causes of a real
disease. Poor Pearce, I have heard, was not very fortunate in
his domestic partner, and as the whole account of her attack
wears a very suspicious aspect, there appears to be little doubt
that a perseverance in his simple remedy would have afforded a
speedy cure ; more especially as, I am told by Mr. Coffin, he has
himself known many instances in Abyssinia, where the same
remedy has been applied with singular success. — Editor,
296 FEVERS.
days denied them, and which soon revived her ;*
and I then left the house to her relations to cure
her at my expense, in the manner I have before
mentioned, though it took a much longer time to
cure my wife than the woman I have just given
an account of. One day I went privately, with a
companion, to see my wife dance, and kept at a
short distance, as I was ashamed to go near the
crowd. On looking stedfastly upon her, while
dancing or jumping, more like a deer than a
human being, I said that it certainly was not my
wife ; at which my companion burst into a fit of
laughter, from which he could scarcely refrain all
the way home. Men are sometimes afflicted
with this dreadful disorder, but not frequently.
Among the Amhara andGalla it is not so common.
Other natural diseases, except the small-pox
and measles, are not commonly dangerous. Fevers
are very rare except in the kolla [low country]
at the commencement of the rains. The super-
stitious people imagine that fevers arise from a
blow of an evil spirit. If the patient survives
seven days he is thought safe. They call a fever
muttartf and the only remedy they in general use
for it is the juice of some cooling leaves, ground
and rubbed over the temples of the patient ; and
they fasten different roots and herbs about the
head and body, as also written charms, which
LEPROSY. 297
however are not employed for the cure of thin
disorder in particular, but worn by every body,
sick or well, high or low. Colds and sore eyes
are very conunon, but not dangerous^ and are
caught in general through personal neglect ; the
Abyssinians sleeping in the sun by day, and
being exposed to the heavy dews by night, with
scarcely a rag to cover them. The leprosy is
very common among the lower class, especially
in the provinces to the southward, where I have
seen thousands who had lost their fingers and
toes, and who had their bodies covered all over
with large white spots. They caD the leprosy
duhe segar; and those afflicted with this dis-
ease are not only great beggars, but also thieves
and very insolent; they will even abuse the
governor of the district they are in, as he passes,
though he never takes any notice of them, agree-
ably to the custom of the couutry.
The small-pox, as I have before mentioned, is the
most destructive complaint known in Abyssinia.
Upon the approach of that disorder, the people in
the country and villages collect their children
and those who have not had it into one gang, for
the purpose of having them inoculated. Every
one carries a piece of salt, or a measure of corn :
they then march together to the neighbouring
town, or wherever the disorder may have made
o 6
298 SMALL-POX.
its appearance. Here they pick out a person,
who is thickest covered with sores, and procure a
skilful person or Dofier, who takes a quantity of
matter from him into an egg-shell, and then by
turns he cuts a small cross with a razor in the arm,
puts in it a little of the matter, and afterwards
binds it up with a piece of rag. The salt and
other articles which they c^rry are given to the
Dofiter, and he divides it with the person from
whom the matter is taken. After this operation
they all return home, singing and shouting praises
to God, in a joyful manner, and beseeching him
to preserve them from death during the time of
their disease. From the time the fever takes
them, they are put into a close hut or house,
where not a breath of air, and if possible not the
least light, can enter. Here they are laid naked
upon river- sand, or wood-ashes, the latter being
preferred in general when they are covered thick*
est. Neither male dogs, male cats, cocks, nor
any other male animals, are suffered to remain
about the house. Their superstition causes them
even to affirm for a truth that, in all cases of
seicual intercourse, either on the part of human
beings or animals, in or about the premises where
the patient lies, the devil brings the shadow of
the sin upon them and kills them for his own.
When a horse or mule is castrated, the animal is
PECULIAR DISEASES. 299
not allowed to be seen by any visiter until the
sore is healed^ from a similar superstition.
A disease contracted from sexual intercourse
is very common throughout the country, and often
is the ruin of many people from want of proper
medicine. It is never kept a secret, but, as soon
as it is discovered, those afflicted make it known
to all their friends and neighbours, and thus it
becomes public throughout the district in which
they live ; and every friend will pay a visit, and, if
the disorder has fallen upon some man or woman
of consequence, they will often meet upon a day
appointed, and keep a cry at the house, as when
a person dies. This disease is called in the Am-
hara language kitchiny in Tigri ^ntarta ; it is
quite different from the disease that exists in
Europe. Here are four different kinds, viz.
armarzesy bersine^ gulluj and negus fintarta*.
Armarzes, or the elephant's disease, breaks into
large sores, in general under the arm-pits, the
neck, and mouth, and very much affects the throat.
Bersine, which takes its name from a small brown
pea which it resembles, in general covers the body,
arms, and thighs, as well as the face, especially
the lips, with large pimples full of pus. Gulla
takes its name from its generally breaking out
* Probably, from the deBcription given, none of these diseases
are of the nature of the one to which Pearce alludes.^^oftVor.
300 PECULIAR DISEASES.
under the arm-pits, like a large fungus, which
continually keeps raw. The negus fintarta^
which signifies the king's disease, seldom shews
itself outwardly, but occasions rheumatic pains,
at times giving rise to large swellings in the
internal parts of the body, and also affects the head
very much, and frequently destroys the bones.
Many are ruined by this dreadful disease ; for,
when the swellings burst, they commonly spread
and eat away the flesh in a horrible manner.
To cure this disease they take strong purgatives^
bulbs, roots, herbs, flowers, and barks ; the most
esteemed of these is called by the Tigr^ abba-
chugo, a very small bulb, resembling that of garlic,
only bearing a reddish-brown skin, having a
strong and very sickly taste ; this also kills the
tape-worm. The wood and root of a tree called
tumbackj a very strong purgative, are also used
on these occasions. A small herb, mixed with
milk, called induckduckf produces the like effect.
I may add the flower of cusho*^ in Amhara, in
* The medicine called ctuhoy so efficacious in the cure of tape-
worm, was first made known to Europeans by Mr. Bruce, though,
according to Dr. Madden, a French physician has subsequently
reaped the honour of the discovery. The cutho is a very powerful
medicine, and of great service in the cure of the tape-worm,
though Mr. Coffin considers it not so effectual as the sherma in
cases of this nature. Besides the above medicines, many others
are found in the country, some of which are said to possess very
THE WISHWAR. 301
Tigr^ hobbe, and also shennay the bark of a tree,
vrhich are both strong purgatives, and much
celebrated for killing the tape-worm.
They have numbers of other medicinal roots
and herbs, but the above are the most common ;
such as can afford it take another remedy to cure
some of the above disorders ; it is a medicine
brought into this country by the Mahomedans,
who say that it comes from Morocco ; it is called
tvishwar. It resembles small brown sticks, or
dried stalks of a plant, which, being pounded and
made into bolusses, the patient swallows six at a
time, morning and evening, and is then put into a
dark place, where he is laid between two large
fires, allowed to eat nothing but a cake made of
wheat flour without salt, and obliged to drink
several large horns of honey and water every day.
The sudorific effect of this mode of treatment is
beyond conception. After the first seven days
the patient leaves off taking the bolusses, but
still continues to inhale the steam through a
hollow cane from a pot on the fire in which some
of this medicine is boiling. At the expiration of
fourteen days, he is allowed a little meat, and his
diet is increased by degrees, for forty days, after
powerful and smgtdar properties; an account of which, how-
ever, would be better inserted in a medical work than in this
Journal. — Editor.
802 8CR0PHULA.
which he is allowed the air^ and gradually goes
about until he has entirely recoyered his strength ;
but many die under the remedy.
MesherOy which is a sort of scrophula, is also
another disease very common in the country. The
Abyssinians conceive this disorder to be con-
nected with the above^ and they apply the same
kind of medicine, though I have known some
who succeed in curing it in a different manner^
of which I was once an eye-witness. The ope-
rator took a razor and made two deep cuts in
the shape of a cross upon the swelling, then put
in his little finger, and very soon brought to the
surface a kernel about the size of a common nut :
this he disengaged from the flesh with his razor^
and then bound up the wound with some pounded
herbs, which he had prepared for the purpose.
Observing that he took great care of the kernel^ I
be^ed him to tell me what he wanted it for ;
when he told me, that after it had become per-
fectly dry, by being kept for several days in the
sun, he should make a powder of it that would
prevent any person from catching the same dis-
temper. This powder, he said, was to be worn
in a written charm about the neck of those who
chose to pay him for the application. To satisfy
my curiosity farther, he cut the kernel in two, to
shew me what it contained, which I found to be
THE TAPE*WORM. 303
small sUmy kernels : he remarked that those were
tbie roots> which were just begianing to grow.
That dreadful complaint^ the tape-worm, which
is very frequent in Abyssinia, I cannot account
for ; formerly I had an opinion that it was through
the inhabitants eating raw flesh, but that cannot
l>e the case, because I have seen a guinea-fowl
and several deer, that have been killed with these
\rorm8 in their bowels : domestic animals, ht
times, are also afflicted with them. My opinion
at present is, that it is produced by the climate
and the water. If the Abyssinians were not
blessed with the plant called ct^Ao, which is a
certain cure for this dreadful disease, as I have
before mentioned, bad indeed would be the
consequence. I myself was not troubled above
four times with this disease, during my stay iu
the country ; but my companion, Mr. Coffin, was
under the disagreeable necessity of taking this
medicine every six weeks or two months, like
every other individual of the country.
Sore throats are common in the beginning of th^
rains, the cure for which is a wild honey, called
tasmar by the Amhara; this honey is peculiar to
the kolla, or low country j it is very thin, very
dear, and of a reddish colour, with a particularly
fine flavour : it is in general found in rocky
ground, and the insect that produces it has a
I
804 TREATMENT OF LYING-IN WOMEN.
long narrow body^ of a yellowish colour, with
wings about the size of a black ant. This liquor
is squeezed from a spongy substance, which is
quite different from the wax of bees. On my
quitting the country I brought a few bottles in a
sanga*8 horn, for a specimen, which I gave to
Mr. Salt. This honey, the priests of the country
affirm to be the wild honey that St. John the
Baptist found in the wilderness, and they use it
in several complaints as a medicine.
The Abyssinians have no established mid-
wifery: when a woman is taken in labour, or
gives signs of being near the hour of delivery,
her female neighbours go to her assistance.
Any female who happens to be present will take
a razor and divide the umbilical cord, though the
mother is frequently known to perform that ope-
ration herself, to be better satisfied of its not
being left too long or too short. It is the custom
of the country that no man should enter the door
of a lying-in woman, till seven days after child-
birth, though at times necessity obliges them to the
contrary ; on that day the neighbouring women
assemble together, at the house, and take the
bed-linen to the river to wash, marching together
in a gang, and singing and calling on God to
prosper the child. On this day they eat gar in
the Tigr^, or gumfo in the Amhara, and drink
CHRISTENING. 305
sofwaj as on the day of child-birth* The former
is a mash made of wheat-flour^ water, and butter \
the latter the common beer of the coimtry, a
fermented liquor made indiscriminately from dif-
ferent kinds of grain, but in general of course from
that most common in the part of the country
where they reside. This feast is called gella.
On the eighth day the child is circumcised ; a
woman performs the operation, and a white fowl
is killed and cooked at the ceremony, and given
to the woman, in recompense for her skill ; no
particular ceremony or assemblage of Mends
being held as among the Mahomedans. The
females undergo a similar operation. A male
child is christened at the age of forty days, but
the female is not christened till the eightieth
day.
Their manner of christening is somewhat sin-
gular. A man does not stand godfather for a
girl, nor a woman for a boy, and the parents
always look out for a person most able to make
some present to their child. The parent or priest
gives it the name, the godfather or godmother
holding it in a piece of cloth, which they destine
as a present to their god-son or god-daughter.
Some, who can afford it, will present the child to
the priest, to be baptized, in a very valuable piece
of cloth. During the first part of the ceremony, the
M6 CHRISTENING.
godfather or godmother holds the child^ and pro-
mises to do his or her best for it. During the whole
ceremony, the priest swings to and fro a brass vase
suspended by four brass chains^ with small bells
attached to it, in which frankincense is kept
burning, and the fiimes of which are sent forth
during the whole of the ceremony. Before the
priest places the child iii the new cloth held by
the godfather, he dips it ia a large pan of water,
and then takes a small wooden cross, and, be-
ginning on the forehead, says, ^^I baptize thee in
the name of the Father, tiie Son, and the Holy
Ghost." After repeating this, he crosses every
joint of the body, behind and before ; he then
takes a feather, dipped in a certain oil, which
is obtained from Egjrpt, and is called ntetron,
repeating this formula, '^ In the name of the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, I janoint
thee with the holy oil, as a token that thou
hast entered into Christ's flock." All this having
been performed in the church-yard, near th^
entrance- gate, the mother takes the child into the
church, and there waits till the sacrament is
administered to the people, as well as to the
child ; some ambashay cakes of bread, and beer,
are the usual acknowledgments made to the
priests by the parents on these occasions, except
in the case of people of quality, who in general
MODE OF PRESERVINQ CHILDREN. 307
invite all the priests of the church in which their
diild is christened, and give them a hearty feast.
I cannot help adverting to a practice which is
not nnfrequent, but which might appear fabulous
to any one who had not witnessed it. When a
woman has had one, two, or more children, and
they have all died, she will, ia hopes of saving
the life of imother just oom, cut off a piece firom
the tip of the left ear, roll it up in a piece of
bread, and swallow it; and others will keep one
nde only of the head shaved until the child is
grown up. For some time I was at a loss to
conjecture the reason why a number of grown
people of my acquaintance had one ear cut ; and,
when told the truth, I could scarcely believe it,
till I went into the house of a neighbour, though
contrary to the custom, purposely to see the ope*
ration. An old woman cut off the tip of the ear,
and put it into a bit of cold cooked victuals,
called skerro, when the mother of the infant
opened her mouth to receive it, and swallowed it,
pronouncing the words, ^^ In the name of the
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost." They have
recourse to many other superstitious and whim-
sical practices to prevent children from dying.
I shall give an accoimt of their marriages, but
as the Amhara and Tigr^ differ in some points,
my narration may be considered as more partieu-
308 MARRIAGE.
larly applying to Tigr^. No marriages are per-
£Drmed in churches^ or by the interference of
a priest, A man may have as many wives as he
chooses^ if he does not think it prudent to be
attached to one, which is seldom the case. But
when it does happen that a man and woman
imagine they can be content with each other, and
live together a religious life, they agree in the
presence of a court of the elders of the town,
or district, called shummergildas, to put what-
ever property they may have together, which
property is coimted and considered as belonging
to them both, and the one cannot dispose of any
part of it without the approbation of the other.
They then swear, in the presence of the shummer-
gildaSy to be mutually faithful, and to take the
holy sacrament together frequently on holydays;
after which they go to the church, to make a con-
fession, and the sacrament is administered to them
for the first time. This is the only marriage
that is a little Christian-like. During the time
they are living in this holy state, they are called
carravay which is sacred people ; but I have sel-
dom known it to continue long without either the
one or the other being suspected of adultery.
The party accused of this act is taken before the
shummergildaSf by whom they were joined, or,
in case of their absence, before a court of any
DIVORCE. 809
other shummergildas in the town, and, on the
crime being proved by a certain number of wit-
nesses, the shummergildas consult together and
pass what sentence they think fit, according to
the nature of the offence and the custom of the
country, which makes a difference with regard to
the number of times he or she may have been
caught in the fact. If, after this, they still do
not wish to be parted, which is often the case,
the offender is sentenced to forfeit part of his or
her share of the property joined together on
their marriage, which is given to the offended
party as rasoy which signifies a penalty, to be at
his or her sole disposal. But, should the com-
plainant insist upon being parted, whether it be
the man or woman, the offender is sentenced to
forfeit half of his or her original property. If they
have children, they are divided according to the
sentence of the shummergildas; when a boy and
a girl, the father in general takes the boy and the
mother the girl. At the separation of man and
wife, I once saw, to end the dispute about a
little girl, the father and mother cast lots
which should have her : this is done in a very
fair way ; the shummergildas takes two sticks,
one of them being longer than the other that they
may be identified; then they are presented to
the man and wife, and the shummergildas says to
810 TRICKS PIIACTISED ON
the man, ^^This belongs to you,'' and to the
woman, '^Thin belongs to you/' aftet which a
stranger is caUed in, who nearer saw the sticks,
but knowing what they are presented to him for,
it being a common custom to cast lots on several
occa8ions,he takes hold of them, and, putting the^
between his hands, places them behind liis head,
when, rolling them round rapidly, he throws one
down, saying, ^^ In the name of God, this is the
owner," and each of the parents, knowing their
own stick, thanks God and takes away the
child.
In the above-mentioned marriages, I have
known instances of many being cheated by im-
postors. There are a number of people in differ-
ent parts of Abyssinia, who get their living by
moggot and sheffhrt^ which signify *^ lawyer-
ing and cheating," though tuvverku is the
common name given to a lawyer, moggot bdng
more applicable to those who plead causes, who
are connected often with men who make sach
marriages a business. One of these, knowing a
woman to have a good property, feigns to fall in
love with her, and entices her into the snare.
After he has succeeded in persuading the poor
woman to be his wife, and they are bound by
an oath to receive the sacrament together and
live as the select people of Christ, he, in a very
MARRIED WOMEN. 811
short time, brings one of his acquaintances to be
a constant visiter*, and a plan is arranged between
them in what manner to act : for instance, a day
will be appointed for the ruin of the poor woman,
when the acquaintance will be lying and playing
on the same sofa with the woman, such liberties
being common in Abyssinia, when the parties
are intimate friends and familiar ia the &mily,
and then the husband will come in suddenly,
bringing several witnesses with him, whom he
has told previously that he has frequently caught
a man with his wife. On their approach, the
friend jumps from the sofa and makes his escape,
in order to confirm the fact, and in this way the
poor woman is cheated. If she says anything
in her defence, when before the skummergiJdas^
the witnesses against her, who suppose they are
attesting the truth, are too numerous, and she is
accordingly condemned. I have known several
instances of this kind, and indeed I once knew a
woman to have been guilty of this shameful
practice in several towns where she had lived.
She was a native of Gondar, who set herself up
for a tuvverkuy or lawyer, by which profession
she procured her maintenance, as one of the
* An Abyssinian is never jealous of a man with whom he is on
terms of friendship, whatever familiarity there may be between
him and his wife.
312 LAW-SUITS, j
1
higher class of people. She is known in all the i
principal towns of Abyssinia by the name of
WoUetta Gorgis SheflEart^ or cheat
In all law-suits^ either before the governor of
a province or a court of skummergilclasy the
pUdntiff and the defendant stand up, with their
cloth tied round their middle, leaving the upper part
of the body naked, which is customary even
in the severest weather. The tuvverkus stand
on each side of them, pleading in a loud tone of
voice their several causes, during which time
wagers of mules, cows, sheep, or wakeahs of
gold, &c., are continually laid by the tuvverkus^
that they will prove such and such charges which
may be denied by the plaintiff or defendant;
which wagers, when won, become the perquisites
of the governor. They will also bind each other
over to forfeit a mule, or a wakeah of gold, not
to speak till the other has finished his speech ;
but it often happens that the falsehoods which
the one may be relating incense the other, who
in general holds his mouth with his hand, to such
a degree, that, forgetting he is bound by a forfeit
not to speak, he bursts out into a rage, exclaim-
ing. Assert! [a lie !] when he is instantly taken
up. by the governor's servant, whose office it is to
look for such slips, and obliged to give bond on
the spot for the forfeit lost ; or he has a chain
LAW-SUITS. 313
put on his wrist^ and is chained to one of the
governor's servants till he pays the sum for-
feited 3 though it is seldom that they cannot find
some one standing or sitting by to be bond
for them. These forfeits are also the governor's
perquisites. I have known a great man lose by
one laager fifty white mules^ which are the most
esteemed^ the wager having been made merely to
sho^r his consequence.
VOL. I.
CHAPTER X.
Arts practised to procare Husbands — Dowry — Ceremonies of
Marriage— The Arkeyt ; their Duties — Musical Instruments —
Dancing — Depravity of the Clergy — ^Licentioasness of the no-
bility and higher classes — Punctual observance of Fasts — ^Ad-
ministration of the Holy Sacrament — Marks of Respect paid
to Churches — ^Priests— Confessors — Schools — Punishment of
Skholars — ^Written Charms — Story of a Gojam Dofter — ^To-
bacco prohibited by the Priests — Their Dress — Form of
Churches — The TVimxi/, or Ark — ^Mode of obtaining Redress
from Princes or Chiefs — Payment of Taxes — Cattle— Servants
— Houses — Agriculture — Ravages of Monkeys — Crops — ^Weed-
ing — Cookery — Feeding.
I SHALL now give some account of the way in
which the Abyssinians procure husbands for their
daughters^ and their mode of marrying. The
Amhara, as well as the Tigr^, when they fancy
their daughter old enough to take a husband,
which is in general^ especially among the Am-
hara, incredibly young*, plait her hair very neat,
and blacken her eyes with a mineral called cohotj
* I have known many middle-aged men take children from
eight to twelve years of age to their wives, and they have borne
children at fourteen*.
* I am informed by Mr. Coffin that he has known many girls
become mothers at eleven or even ten years of age. — Editor.
METHOD OF MARRYING. 315
.W^ich they obtain from the caravans from Egypt.
They also die her hands with a root called so-
cella, resembling our sweet potato^ of a dark red
colour. She is then placed constantly at the
door in dry weather, either spinning or clearing
com, BO that every one who passes may behold
ber; and she is taught by the mother to turn up
the whitiBS of her eyes, (which are in general very
large) when young men or strangers pass, and
put on a smiling look, between modesty and bra-
very, when answering their questions. If any
man tBke a liking to a girl in this situation, let
him be young or old, he either goes or sends to
the mother, or any relation she may have, and
asks for her, and, to satisfy himself respecting
certain points, he himself sends a female ac^
quaintance to inspect her. The mother then de-
mands her dowry, which is a dress, consisting of
a cotton "shirt and a piece of cloth, which, if he
chooses to be extravagant, will cost to the amount
of four and a half or five dollars, for six months,
she on her part engaging to do the labouring
work in the house ; but she is allowed a servant
for fetching wood and water, and other out-door
duties. If the man has reason to feel satisfied
with the girl, he sends a piece of white cloth
dipped in the blood of a fowl to her friends, but
if not, he returns her and takes back the cloths
p 2
316 MARRIAGE DOWRY.
he gave. The first three days the girl is obliged
to drink a gravy made from a fowl^ very hotly
seasoned with pepper and onions, from au er-*
roneous notion that it may effect the purpose in-
tended ; but as I have no skill in such matters I
shall say no more about it. The husband can
turn her away when he chooses, and she may
quit him at the expiration of the time first settled,
if they cannot agree.
Those of a higher rank, such as chiefs of dis-
tricts, farmers, or tradesmen, in general look out
for some person's son of the same station as
themselves, and the marriage is agreed on in the
presence of the shummergildasy the father and
mother of each giving a dowry. Only half the
quantity of the girl's dowry is given to the son,
though in Amhara both are equal. If it be a
chiefs son or daughter, the parents give a certain
number of .matchlocks, swords, cattle, cloths,
ha/d money, and salt, the common currency of
the country. The marriage is celebrated in great
style. A large square dass is built with the
branches and boughs of trees, and, on the day
appointed, idl the relations and friends of the
parties assemble, except the father or nearest
relation of the man, who, after sending the son's
portion to the shummergildas, prepares to re-
ceive the married couple at his own house^
MARRIAGE FESTIVAL. 31/
Several cows are in general killed, and in the
doss a table or platform is spread out from one
end to the other, covered with bread, maize, and
sofva, called by the Amhara tstig and taller, so
that all who attend may drink till they become
intoxicated. When all is ready, the man, who is
to take the woman away as his wife, comes
riding on horseback, with several attendants, into
the <&m;$, dismounts, and with spear and shield in
hand, shows himself off to the best advantage ;
boasting of his former deeds, and and of those he
will still perform, &c. &c., according to the cus-
tom of the country. His arkeys follow his
example, in turn telling of their e3^ploits• They
then sit down, and the goods, cattle, and other
articles, given on either side in dowry, are counted
by the shummergUdas, put together, and con-'
signed to the arkeys, who send them home to
the husband's premises. The festival then
begins, and the raw meat is handed about, while
it still reeks and shivers under the large two-
edged knife, with which every man is furnished.
The girl, whom, perhaps, the husband has never
seen in his life, is seated on a couch, surrounded
by her female servants and her arkeys, who hold
their cloths before her, to conceal her from his
sight. Before the festival arrives at its height,
and when the parties are beginning to be intoxi-
318 THE ARRETS.
cated^ the husband again jumps up, boasting 2^
before, while his arkeys fly to the girl, take bold
of her, drag her away, as if by force, and put her
upon a mule, one of the arkeys jumping up be-
hind her. The husband and his followers then
mount their horses, and ride off together*.
The arkeys, in Tigrd (called musiers in Am -
hara) are in general four or five in number.
The woman has only two arh^s, intimate ac-
quaintances who have been intreated to take the
ofiBce. They are sworn to be true to each other
through life, and to protect each other's wives and
families, and they afterwards live together as the
dearest friends. They also go about the country
to which they belong, to collect gifts in a pitiful
manner, (as I have often told them) for the new-
married pair; each striving to outdo the other
in collecting the most, and, to complete their
share, they often steal sheep, goats, and even
cows, and take the fowls from the poor by
force. This wild career lasts about three
weeks.
After the husband has taken his wife a great
distance from the place whence he fetched her,
if he cannot possibly reach his own district that
day, he will take up his Ibdgings, which his
* Their marriages in general take place about Christmas or
after Ascension-day.
CUSTOMS AFTBR MARRIAGE. 319
attendants soon find^ in some village in the neigh-
bourhood. Here^ after some refreshment, the
man and wife retire to bed for the first time, an
arkey of each party lying by them, to give
assistance in case of illness or accident. If the
husband is satisfied with his bride, a fowl is im-
mediately killed, and a white rag soaked in its
blood, which, together with a fat goat and a horn-
fill of white honey, is sent back to the father and
mother by one of the man's arkeys, who in
general receives a present for his good tidings.
But, shcmld he have reason to suspect her virtue,
the husband takes a whip and makes her tell the
name of her paramour, that he may take mea-
sures to prevent any communication between
them in futtire. He may, if he chooses, send her
back immediately to her parents, and demand
restitution of his dowry, though, for the sake
of peace between his and her parents, he in
general keeps her. In this case, however, in-
stead of a fat goat and a hornful of honey, he
sends back an old lean goat, with one ear cut off,
and a horn half full of bad honey. This very
often happens, as the girls are not remarkable for
their chastity ; indeed I know it to be a fact
that, in the province of Ammerseen, Temben, and
in several parts of Enderta and Agow, parents
actually take the precaution mentioned by Buffon
320 MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.
to preserve the integrity of their daughters until
the time of their marriage.
At the above-mentioned marriages the trum-r
peters^ drummers^ and fifers^ belonging to the
governor of the province^ are present, and receive
a piece and a half of cloth from every married
pair throughout the province, which perquisites
are granted to the governor to maintain the
band.
It may not be amiss to give in this place
some account of their musical instruments. The
trumpets are in general made of the skin of the
elephant, except the lower broad mouth, which is
the neck of a calebash. They give out a tre-
iqendous sound. The fifes are made of a hard
wood hollowed out, having three holes for the
fingers of the left hand. They are blown into at
the end, are about a foot and three quarters long,
and their tone is very wild, especially when they
are accompanied by a small instrument called
torttj about eight inches long, which is likewise
blown at the end, yielding a hollow, bass, and
savage sound. Three trumpeters, three fifers,
and one tora, with a long drum, narrower at one
end than at the other, and beat at both ends with
the hands, complete the band <^ the chief of a
district.
The band of a Ras consists of the number
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. 321
above-mentioned, and forty-four large drums ac-
companied each by a small one. These drums
are in the shape of the kettle-drums of Europe,
cut out of trunks of large trees ; they are headed
with cow-hide, and, being very heavy, are car-
ried on muleis, the larger on the right side and
the smaller on the left, the drummer riding
behind, with a small straight stick in the left
hand, and one that turns up at the end and larger
in the right. His provisions, in leather bags,
beneath the drums, prevent these heavy and
clumsy instruments from galling the animal's
back ; these drums produce a warlike sound, and
in marches are beat regularly together, though
they have but few changes.
Of stringed instruments, they have a sort of
fiddle, consisting of a piece of wood, square and
hollowed out, with a neck about a foot and a half
long. The hollow part is covered with hide, on
which the bridge stands. It has only one string,
and the stick is a bow bent, with several horse-
hairs attached to it. They have also a kind of
lyre, the lower part of which is made of a hollow
piece of wood and covered with cow-hide, and
above which is a slight wooden arch, about two
feet high, to which six strings are fastened.
Each string has a piece of wood, to answer to it
as a screw, which twists the string round the top
p5
322 DANCING AND SINGING.
of the arch. This inetrument is called charcha^
mer. There is another, of nearly the same form^
and of the same materials, only larger and with
ten strings called berganner. Some of them are
four feet high, and their notes are very pleasant.
The nobility and great men all practise playuig
upon them ; the strings are beat with a piece of
wood, or ivory, with the right hand, while the
fingers of the left- command the tune. There ar^
besides many childish instruments chiefly made
out of tibcf horns of animals.
Their manner of dancing consists rather in the
motion of the shoulders and head than in that of
the legs or feet. When several dance at a time
they move round in a ring. The men jump a great
height at times> while the women squat down by
degrees, making motions with the head, shoulders,
and breast, until they nearly squat on the ground.
They afterwards spring up in a lively manner,
and go round as before. The Amhara do not
practise this latter exercise, but their motions
are the same. Their songs are far from humor-
ous, and seldom consist of more than one or two
short verses, sung over and over again, in a rude
manner. The chanting of the priests in their
churches and public places would be more agree-
able, if they did not exhibit the most unbe-
coming actions while they are so employed*
DEPRAVITY OF THE CLERGY. 323
The Abyssinians, while they profess to be rigid
followers of the Christian faith^ are yet ignorant
of the greater part of its precepts ; which arises
chiefly from the want of a good example being
shown to them by those of the superior class.
£yen the heads of their clergy, instead of holding
out to the populace an example of good Christian
morals, practise the very reverse. They are in
general the greatest drinkers in the whole
country, and at feasts, the quantity of raw meat
which they consume, and the ravenous manner
in which they devour it, exceeds all belief; indeed
they behave more like drunken beasts, when in
company, than civilized beings. They are besides
addicted to fighting, quarrelling, lying, swearing,
cheating, and adultery. By chance you find,
here and there, a priest who is free from these
vices ; and who strives to set a good example ;
but the clergy are too loosely governed, all con-
sidering themselves as equals, to be corrected by
the good example of one or two individuals. I
knew one especially, with whom I was acquaint-
ed for several years, at the head of the Trinity
church at Chelicut, who always conducted him-
self like a virtuous father of the faith, striving
earnestly to bring the people over to the. practice
of good morals. He even made a speech in the
church, against the abomination and disgrace to
324 LICENTIOUSNESS OF THE NOBILlTT.
the Christian feith of eating raw meat, but before
he could finish he was interrupted by the clergy
under him, who threatened to displace him and
put another in his office; to this he did not
object, readily consenting to have no more
interference with the duty of their church, since
they would not be taught by him. But the Ras^
hearing of the affair, prevailed upon him to retain
his station, and to permit the people to do as
their fathers had done before them. This chief
priest's name was Allicar Barhe, mentioned in Mr.
Salt's Journal; he was bom in Gondar, and
obtained a superior education at the church Ledett^
in which he had held the situation of deacon.
In such a state of things, how can it be expected
that other classes of people should have good
morals, when those who ought to teach them
have none?
The nobility, and all those of a certain rank,
live in a state of great licentiousness and de-
bauchery, even when married. They are seldom
jealous of each other, or at least never show their
jealousy, knowing well each other's culpability;
but when a man actually witnesses the infidelity
of his wife, he immediately kills the intruder.
Nothing, however, happens to the woman more
than that she is left to lament the loss of her
lover, and to bear the shame of being accounted
RIGID ADHERENCE TO FASTS. ZK
^ilty of his death. This seldom happens, as the
great people of Abyssinia always live in separate
apartments^ where both sexes have many conve-
nient opportunities ; the women having the pri-
vilege of keeping what servants and company
they please, the same as the men.
Notwithstanding the libertine conduct of the
Abyssinians, they strictly keep all their fasts^
whicli are very numerous, and on those days never
eat or drink, till about three o'clock in the
afternoon, which time they compute by measuring
so inany lengths of the foot given by the shade
of the body on level ground. This, indeed, is the
only way in which they keep time in Abyssinia.
Their great Lent, which commences in February,
lasts fifty-six days. The fast for the apostles,
which is in one year fifteen days, and in the other
thirty, begins in June. The fast for the Blessed
Virgin, which is in August, lasts fifteen days.
The fast of Quosquom, kept by priests only,
beginning in October, and the fast before Christ-
mas-day, called Ledetts, both continue thirty days.
The fast of Tumkut, or of baptism, lasts one day,
and the fast of Unus lasts three days, making
altogether a total of one hundred and sixty five
days in one year, and one hundred and fifty in
another, exclusive of the Wednesdays and Fridays
326 CHRONOLOGY.
throughout the year, except daring the eight
weeks after the great Lent, in which~ these fastB
are not observed, being eight weeks of continued
festiyal. Some eat fish on thes6 fast days, and
others eat nothing but pulse or herbs, especially
during the great Lent.
Their years are called after the four Evan-
gelists; that of John is the leap-year. St.
John's, day is new-year's day. Christmas is on
the twenty-ninth of Tisa, and answers to about
the 6tii of our January. They reckon the number
of years from the creation of the worid to the
birth of Christ five thousand five hundred ; and
from the birth of Christ to the present time one
thousand eight hundred and five, the latter being
about nine years short of our time. The lick-
counts, or scribes, who regulate the time, esteem
themselves very learned people, and are proud
beyond conception. The priests are also proud
of their learning, and of their rules and regu-
lations in the performance of divine service as
Christians, though numbers of them cannot
read.
The administering of the holy sacrament is
quite a public ceremony. The sacrament is pre-
pared in a part within the church walls, or hedge,
called BelJdem, which is in general on the east
ADMINISTRATION OF THE SACRAMENT. 337
side, \^liere no female is allowed to go*. It con-
sists of ground rakinis and wheat flour, mixed
with \^ater, and is brought from the apartment
where it is prepared in a basket, covered with a
bit of red cloth or silk, carried on the head of a
deacon, a bell being carried before it, continuaUy
rifling to give notice of its approach, when every
body stands up and repeats the Lord's prayer.
It is then placed in the middle of the dark part,
where the altar stands, and cimdies are burned to
give light, when a priest takes the mixture, which
is in a large bowl, and, with a large wooden
spoon, puts it into the mouths of those that come
up to receive it, each repeating a short prayer
while another priest gives them the cross to kiss.
After receiving the holy sacrament, they place
their hands to their mouths and go their way, nor
will they on any consideration spit that day, even
if a fly by chance be drawn into the mouth by
their breath, which at other times would occasion
them to vomit, as they detest a fly, and many
will not even eat or drink what a fly has been
found in.
In the churches of a superior class the articles for
preparing the sacrament are, like their other orna-
ments, of gold and silver, the churches in general
* No woman is permitted to enter or be buried on the same
side of the church where the sacrament is administered.
328 RESPECT PAID TO CHURCHES.
being very richly endowed, though I have before
said the building itself is worth little. Ou passing
a church mounted, they alight from their horse
or mule, and kiss the gateway or tree in front,
according to the distance they are at when
passing, and, if at a distance, they take up a stone
and throw it upon a heap, which is always found
on the road opposite to the church. In Abys-
sinia, a traveller, who sees in the wildest deserts
large piles of stones, might be led to attribute
the custom to the same motive which occasions
similar piles to be found in Arabia, where some
one has been killed and buried, and all who know
him, as they pass, throw a stone on his grave ;
but this is not the case here, those stones being
thrown there by Christians, who know that the
nearest church lies opposite to the spot : and on
this account an Abyssinian traveller, when he sees
such a pile of stones, knows that he is opposite to
a church, and in consequence kisses the pile and
adds another stone to the heap.
The priests are numerous beyond belief.
The total revenue of the church is divided into
equal portions, of which the Allicar, or chief
priest, has ten for his share ; others, according
to their rank, one or more. Numerous parties of
priests also resort to the different churches, who
have no part in its income. Some live by begging.
PRIESTS. 829
and some get a maintenance from the priests of
the church who are too idle to do the duty when
it comes to their turn, and so employ them.
TTiere is a treasurer in every church called carpet,
who looks after the wealth belonging to it 3 he is
reckoned among those of the superior rank, and
his income in general consists of three portions.
When a priest has conduct enough to behave in a
sober and righteous way, and never to be seen in
company, when he first comes to live in a strange
toTvn, he is taken notice^ of by every one of the
to^wns-people, and they fly to him, as their father,
confessing their sins, and giving him presents for
for^veness ; and, if he remain a number of years,
he is sure to amass considerable property. He
may have two or three thousand such children,
and each gives him every year, on St. John's or
new-year's day, a piece or two of salt, or about
the fifteenth part of a dollar. Those who have
prudence enough to conduct themselves in this
manner for five or six years will make money
enough to maintain them during the remainder
of their lives, and will then return to their native
place, and purchase oxen, take a wife, commence
farming, and live well, so long as the country they
reside in is at peace.
A priest can marry only once; the greater
part of the priests, however, think it not lawful
830 SCHOOLS.
to marry, and many thousands who resort to
Waldubba, Beshio, Temben, and other sacred
places, never marry, though they are too often
detected ui the commission of adultery. No one
can take upon himself, where he is knewn^ to be
a father confessor, unless he has been confirmed
by the Egj^tian patriarch. There are priests
and deacons, who go about to the different towns,
or residences of chiefs, where they find employ*
ment in teaching children to read, but this is
very rare, and they have few scholars, which
always surprised me, as the schooling is very
cheap. The master receives, for teaching a
boy or girl, one piece of cloth, equal to a
dollar, every year, and two cakes of bread dsdly,
from every scholar in turn, so that if he has
many it does not bear hard on any individual*
Their school is held generally in a churchyard,
or in some open place near it, sometimes before
the residence of the master, and, in that case,
during the rains, they are all crowded up in a
small dark hut, learning prayers by word of
mouth from the master, instead of from a book.
When a boy is somewhat advanced in learn-
ing, he is made to teach the younger ones.
However few the scholars, the master has in
general great trouble with them, and, in addition
to the ordinary punishments, numbers are con-
SCHOOL DISCIPUNE. 331
stantly obliged to be kept in irons. The common
way of pmiisfaing scholars is as foDows. The
Bchoolinaster stands over them with a wax-taper,
whicli cuts as severely as a whip, while five or
six boys pinch the offender's legs and thighs, and
if they spare him the master gives them a stroke
with the taper; but the correction considered
most effective for these young Abyssinian rogues
is that of having irons put upon their legs for
many months together, which in one instance
I knew proved fatal. It was a grown Agow
boy^ about thirteen years of age, who had more
than once contrived to get his irons off and
desert from the school, for which the master, by
desiire of the parents, put so heavy a pair of irons
upon his ancles, that he found it impossible to
get them off, and this enraged him so much, that
he drew his lai^e knife, cut his own throat, and
soon afterwards expired.
Very few Abyssinians learn to write; those
who do are chiefly occupied in writing charms,
and some of the more artful persuade the poor
ignorant people that they are possessed of
supernatural powers, especially the cunning
Dofters of Gojam, many of whom travel, about
the country, writing charms, &c. In country
villages, the inhabitants will maintain one of
these persons for months together, he pretending
832 CHARM-WRITERS.
that he can prevent hail from destrojring liieic
corn^ and the locust from approaching the dis-
trict^ and cure all sorts of diseases with his
written charms, for which he not only gets paid,
but lives upon the fat of their district, and
administers justice according to his own good-
will and pleasure.
I cannot help mentioning a circumstance which
once befel one of these impostors. The Ras had
often conversed with me, telling me the power
these people had, and what dangerous enemies
they were to those who o£Fended them j to which
I always ceplied, that it was only a foolish super-
stition of the ignorant, and that they had no
power more than other people, and ought rather
to be punished as impostors. Through frequent
conversations he began, I saw, to be of my
opinion, but dared not show it, for fear of giving
umbrage to the priests. A Gojam Dofter came
one day to ask the Ras to put him at the head of
the clergy of some country district, assuring him
that he could prevent the ravages of the small-
pox, of the destructive locust, or of hail. The
Ras, smiling, recommended him to me and Mr.
Coffin, who were then sitting at dinner with him.
In consequence, he made his bow, and addressed
himself to us. On our return home^ he followed us,
and we ordered our gatekeeper to permit him to
IMPOSTOR PUNISHED. 333
enter the yard^ while I and Mr. Coffin went into
the house, and soon returned with two English
cart- whips, that came with the artillery harness
and carriages brought by Mr. Salt. The Dofter
smiled at seeing those long weapons, and asked
the use of them. ** We are going to show you,"
said Mr. Coffin, and I immediately added, in a
serious tone, *^ If you can save others from the
wrath of God, save yourself from the whipping
you are going to receive;*' on which we both
began to lay on, till he fell at our feet, imploring
mercy, declaring he had no more power than his
fellow-creatures. After this acknowledgment,
we gave him his bellyful of victuals, raw meat,
and maize, and turned him out of the yard, when
he asked us for money, which we refused, and he
became very troublesome and abusive. At last
he so provoked Mr. Coffin, that he took his blun-
derbuss, charged it, put the blood of a fowl which
he had just killed on the top of the powder, and
went to the gate and discharged it at him ; when
the man, seeing himself covered with blood, took
to his heels and ran up to the top of a small
mountain, where he remained till the evening,
when he descended and went to the Ras's gate,
calling out Abbate ! Abbate ! [justice] ; and
stating that the white man had shot him. Upon
this, the Ras sent for me and Mr. Coffin, to
334 DOFTERS.
inquire into the matter, when, hearing the truth
of the affiiir, he laughed heartily, and dismissed
the fellow, who departed, and was never heard of
more in that part of the country. For several
weeks after, the old Ras would laugh heartily at
dinner time over the story.
Another time we produced the same eSect
upon one of these impostors, with a number of
squibs and crackers, that came from England
also, which we threw upon him through the roof,
into a iAoGe room, where he was writing his
charms, and drawing the picture of hell, tiie devil,
&c., which frightened him so much that he broke
open the door, and, leaving his cap and turban,
with all the utensils of his art, behind him, he
ran off, and never returned. This also furnished
great amusement to 'the old gentleman, though
he never durst say any thing against these
wretches in public, even when he was himself con-
vinced.
There was also a great Dofter who used to travel
about the country of Enderta for several years^
and had become very rich by cheating the poor
and ignorant. This Dofter used to attend the
sick, and was employed to purify places supposed
to be haunted by the devil, &c. He used always
to commence his operations in the heat of the
sun, when he would order all fires to be removed
SMOKING PROHIBITED. 335
from near the spot^ and would then sit down on
a dry place near the door, and tell the people to
withdraw to a little distance while he prayed,
during which time he would, by the assistance of
the bottom of a broken bottle, set fire to some
dry horse-dung, with the rays of the sun; he
would then throw on some frankincense, to make
a great smoke, and, rising up with his face
Upwards heaven, would call his ignorant employ-
ers, telling them in an awfiil tone, that "God
had heard him, and sent down fire from heaven
to destroy all their enemies, visible or invisible.'^
TTiis I found out by my own investigation, having
produced the same eflFect with the bottom of
a broken ArwZy, or bottle, which experiment I
showed to the Ras. Still, none durst disbelieve
the Dofter.
The priests and clergy abhor the smoking of
tobacco, and no one is allowed to enter a church
who has previously been smoking, though num-
bers of them take snuif. Indeed, the smoking of
tobacco is forbidden by the priests to all classes,
yet many are addicted to the habit, for which they
are answerable to their father-confessor, it being
accounted a sin. This prohibition took place
many years ago, and derived its origin from the
adventures of a priest, called Abba Zerraverrock.
Being accustomed to smoke tobacco, and his
336 DRESS OF THE PRIESTS.
stock being exhausted when on his pilgrimage to
Deverer Libanus, on the road to Shoa, he was
under the necessity of selling a silver cross^ which
he wore about his neck, to a pagan Galla for a
supply. On his return from his pilgrimage, he
laid before the Echigge, or high-priest, and the
court of Gondar, the wickedness he had been
tempted to commit, through the practice of
smoking tobacco, when instantly an order was
issued forbidding all Christians the use of thai
herb, which grows very plentifully in the kollay
or warm parts of the country, and is very
cheap.
On entering a church, people always bow and
kiss the comers of the door-way. The priests
carry a small cross in their hands, which they
frequently present to the people to kiss ; indeed
the lower class kiss any picture shown to them,
or any thing that resembles the human figure.
Priests of the superior class have a long two-
edged sword always carried before them, by way
of state, and some of them even two, three, four,
and more. Their dress is a long open shirt, with
large wide sleeves and a collar, the ends of which
hang down on each side of the breast to the waist,
tapering to a point; long loose trowsers, a skull-
cap, and a light turban. Some of them dress in
yellow, but this colour is mostly confined to
FORM OF CHURCHES. 337
monks, or those who resort to the wilderness ;
white being the colour in common use. The
priests are in general very polite, and, as far as
outward appearance goes, very good people, but
they are for the greater part the most despicable
wretches in Abyssinia, though some are to be
found, as I have before said, with exceedingly
good qualities.
. Having already given some account of their
churches, and of the manner in which they are
ornamented, I shall now only remark, with re-
spect to their general form, that the inner part is
a square room within which stands an altar about
the height of a man. It is constructed of wood,
of very inferior workmanship, though in the su-
perior churches painted very elegantly. Within
this altar, which is called munvar^ is a small
ark called tavvat, far inferior to the workman-
ship of a common European tinker's tool-box,
and about that size. This is the sacred article
that bears the name of the saint to whom the
church is dedicated, no one being allowed to
touch it but the priests. On the holydays of the
different saints, the neighbouring churches send
about their tawats, to do honour to the respective
church of each saint, and when in this way ex^
posed to public view they are borne on the head
of a priest, being covered with silk or any other
VOL, I. Q '
838 THE TAVVAT,
coloured stuff. Before them march the inferior.
clergy belonging to the church, dressed in all
sorts of rich clothes, Mdth crowns of gold, silver^
or brass, on their heads, each ringing a bell and
bearing a long stick with a cross at the end, in one
hand, and a kind of crucifix in the other, singing a
joyful song.' The trumpeters also march in fronts
while the high-priest rides behind with the
priests of superior class, the populace following
in procession. The girls form themselves into
different parties, with their neighbours, and sing^
dance, and clap their hands, to the accompani-.
ment of a long drum, beat at both ends by a girl^
who carries it with a strap about her neck. If in
large towns, or near any populous place, the
chiefs, with their soldiers, mounted upon horses
and dressed in their warlike apparel, assemble to
do honour to the tavvaty and they ride about in
all directions, with fury and tumult, while the
altar is moving slowly along; many accidenta
happen at these times. During the holyday^
the tavvats of the respective churches are placed
in small tents, or huts, built purposely, where
each party of priests administers the sacrament
to those who wish to partake of it, many choosing
to receive it from the hands of a priest of the
church dedicated to one saint, and many from
others; their superstition leading them to believe
OPPRESSION OF THE POOR. 339
^that onie sidnt may be more partial to them than
another through life. In the same way the no-
bility, and people of the middliDg class, give
a feast every year in the name of some particular
saint, whom they have made choice of from their
'youth, keeping open houses during that day, and
giving alms to the poor. Yet, I am sorry to
add, they wring it from the poor again ten-
fold, before the year is expired, by arbitrary
oppression.
Com, cattle, honey, butter, and cloths, are
given, as tax or rent, to the chiefs of districts, of
which a certain portion is paid by each to the
prince or ruler of the province, yearly at Mascal.
When the inhabitants of a district of any single
individual find themselves oppressed by their
governor, they repair to the premises of the
prince or Ras, generally by night, where they cry
out in a lamentable tone, Abbate! AbbateJ till
he hears them and sends one of his household to
inquire into their complaint. If it be thought
reasonable, they are admitted into the prince's
presence ; and, if he finds that they have been
oppressed) he sends to the ofiender to return what
has been unjustly taken ; if not, to appear himself
immediately at court : but, in spite of this appa-
rent facility of redress, the poor in general, sooner
or later, content themselves under their oppression
340 TAXES.
rather than complain^ otherwise their chief will
often bring them into a lawsuit, where they must
attend daily, for a whole month perhaps, without
getting a hearing, during which time they are
not only detained from their daily labour, but
have to pay dearly to the prince's household
for admittance, whether they obtain a hearing or
not; and, in general, when it comes to that point,
the chief has the means of procuring false wit-
nesses enough to condemn and ruin them. In
fiict the peasants or labouring people, in all parts
of Abyssinia, never know when their persons or
property are safe, on which account they are
obliged to repair to the habitations of their chief
on holydays, some presenting bread, butter,
honey, and corn, and others a goat, sheep, or
fowls, to keep in favour, and to prevent him
from sending his soldiers to live upon their pre-
mises.
The south-east districts pay their taxes to
government in salt, in the place of cloths, being
near the arroj or salt-pans, where little cloth is
manufactured. Enderta, Serra, Womberta, Deora,
Desa, and Monus, all pay salt and cattle, and no
cloths ; Wojjerat pays honey and cattle, while all
other districts throughout the kingdom pay the
greater part of their tribute in cloths or gold. A
carpet, a piece of silk^ a matchlock, or any other
CATTLE. 341
ajrticle^ brought into their country by the caravans,
is valued and received as cloth or gold. Cloth is
very cheap, cotton being extremely plentiful in
tlie centre and northernmost parts of Abyssinia.
Tliey manufacture no other kind of cloth but
cotton, though they make coarse rags from the
fleeces of their sheep, which are, for the greater
part, black. *
Though it is such a fine country for pasture,
the sheep are seldom fat. The larger kind, of
cattle, as well as goats, thrive weU, and would be
the best and finest I have ever seen were they
taken better care of. Their keepers are cruel,
and, as they are obliged to be penned up and are
very seldom cleaned, fatal diseases often occur
among them, especially during the rains. The
horses and mules are in general.kept in the house
together with their master, which makes it better
for them. The horses are. mostly spirited and
handsome, and will bear much fatigue.. They
never clean them ; indeed, when I have talked to
them about the manner of cleaning and shoeing
horses in my own country, it has caused great
laughter, and few could believe that it was true ;
however I used to convince them how much better
my own horses appeared, from their being cleaned
every day, though I was not able to shoe them.
The whole country abounding in com and grass,
q2
342 SERVANTS.
horses are fed well and at a cheap rate. A grass^
cutter's pay is only three pieces of salt^ equal to
three dollars, per year, besides his provisions, and
he brings a large load every day from the moun-
tains or valleys. If it be a very dry season, so
that long grass becomes scarce, he always pro-
vides for the horses plenty of ^c^ straw, which is
equal to stfaw or hay. The pay of all other
common servants of both sexes is the same ; and
I have observed, that if through their faithfulness
and attention the master may think fit to make
them an addition to their pay, or any present,
they become immediately ungovernable and in-
solent, the least indulgence spoiling them for
good servants. When not indulged they are very
submissive, and never receive any thing from
their master's hand without bowing and kissing
the article. The day they receive their new cloth,
or wages, after sewing it into a proper form for a
dress, they go to their master and mistress, and
bow with their foreheads to their knees, saying,
*^ Bless my new dress, that it may be a lucky
one !" Servants of both sexes, after washing
either the master's or mistress's feet, always bow
and kiss them ; they are in general clean in their
persons, and wash themselves often as well as
their dress. Still they are seldom free from the
itch, to which disease all persons in the country
HOUSES. 843
are liable. The women keep the clearest from it^
by soaking their hands and feet in an infusion of
a root called socella, which dyes them a dark red
colour by way of ornament.
Their houses are far from being dean, in
general swarming with vermin. They consist
only of stones and clay, thatched over with a
kind of grass, which I have mentioned in a former
part of my Journal. The land is cultivated with
great ease ; they use no kind of manure to enrich
the soil. They plough with a small plough,
which the farmer holds in one hand and & large
whip in the other, and it is drawn by. a yoke of
oxen, which are trained to be very steady. A
cow is never put into the yoke, for which reason
an ox is never killed, unless he will not or is not
able to draw the plough. Cows are always used
for slaughter. In clearing for cultivation land
which never before was tilled, they cut down the
trees and bushes, which they pile in different
places over the remainipg stumps of the larger
sort, and, when dry, set them on fire, and then
plough the ground two or three times over, and
it is fit for cultivation.
At the commencement of the rains, the fields
farthest from their villages are frequently da-
maged by hogs and monkeys, which are very
numerous everywhere near the mountains, the
844 AGRICULTURE.
centre of the larger plains being alone exempt
from these intruders. I have myself seen an
assemblage of large monkeys* drive the keepers
from the field, iir spite of their slings and stones,
till several people went from the village to their
assistance, and then they only retired slowly, on
seeing that the men had no guns . Where leopards
resort the country is clear of monkeys, but the
fisffmer is continually losing his sheep and goats,
though his com may be safe. Wheat, barley,
beans, hemp, and a com called arras in Tigr^, as
well as peas, are sown in the month of June,
after the first day or two of rain. Other different
varieties of grain, called marshella daguxu^ and a
red tq^, called tq^ agi, are sown from the latter
end of April till the middle of May. There are
in general ten or fifteen days' rain in these months.
Their harvest for the above-mentioned grain lasts
from the latter end of September till the begin-
♦ These monkeys, I am told by Mr. Coffin, are very mischievoas
and dangerons, especially to young females, when they chance to
meet with them unprotected in solitary places : in case of blows
or resistance they become extremely savage. I am not certain
whether medical men are aware that these animals can be ino-
cnlated with the small-pox ; but, as I have somewhere heard, or
read, that this disease cannot be communicated, in any way, from
the human subject to the brute creation, I merely mention the
circumstance, as a fact that has come within Mr. Coffin's personal
knowledge, and that the complaint is as fatal to the monkey as it
is to the human species. — Editor,
WEEDING. 345
ning of November; white and black taff^ which is
so^rn in the latter end of July and the beginning
of August^ is harvested in November and De-
cember ; other species of grain called shemberra
and bursine, are sown in the odd days, or epagomay
bet-ween August and September, and their harvest
is in December and January. On plains or in
valleys, near the rivers, they have crops all the
year round, by means of trenches cut from*the
rivers, which water their banks for a consider-
able width, according to the industry of the far-
mers.
The rainy season, which is June, July, and
August, is the quarter called Currumpta; the
following three months are the quarter called
Koi in Tigr^; and the next quarter is called
Asmerra.
The country is much overrun with numerous
kinds of weeds, which, if neglected and not
plucked up before the corn begins to form its
ear, are often destructive to whole fields. The
Abyssinians always help each other to weed their
corn, which is done with great cermony ; a chief
will muster every soldier in his service and march
at the head of them to his corn-fields, where they
lay down their arms, form into a line, join in
chorus to a song, and, in general led by a female,
march on plucking up the weeds. In this way
i
346 COOKEftT.
they soon get through a number of fields^ throw-
ing the weeds down as they pluck them^ and
leaving the farming-men^ boys^ and girls^ to carry
them to the borders of the field. In the month
of September the chief, in general, finds this em-
ployment for his soldiers to preserve his favourite
white tq^. At times he will, on his rjeturn home^
give them a feast of raw meat and maize, which
is considered as the greatest treat in Abyssinia.
Nothing can give more pleasure to the soldiers^
or be more welcome to a visiter or stranger,
than entertaining them with the blood- warm raw
steaks of a cow and a homful of maize or
In their cooking, they are very clean, except ?^
in two or three dishes which I shall not omit to u3
mention. Fowls are washed, after being cut into } "
pieces for cooking, in a dozen waters at least,
and the same is practised in cleaning fish. Both [,
dishes are cooked with curry, a mixture of hot ^ ^
chilly-pepper, onions, and salt, called dillctck, '
with the addition of some butter and spices, <^^
which altogether form a hot compound that few
European throats could swallow.
Mutton and goats' flesh are somtimes curried,
and sometimes boiled, but more frequently only
a little broiled. Partridges, guinea-fowl, and
other game, are always curried. A very favourite \
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